


Bittere

by auburnimp, zheyrryhn



Category: Weiß Kreuz
Genre: Addiction, Drug Use, F/M, M/M, S&M, Violence
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2013-05-30
Updated: 2016-07-24
Packaged: 2017-12-13 11:53:05
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 18
Words: 172,931
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/824011
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/auburnimp/pseuds/auburnimp, https://archiveofourown.org/users/zheyrryhn/pseuds/zheyrryhn
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Weiss is targeted by a new group of assassins but join them, and Schwarz, against Rosenkreuz.  There is much confusion, many  attacks and a lot of heartache and angst.  This is not one for the faint hearted.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter One

The darkness was a tangible thing, like a veil of soft cloth spread across the sky. No stars showed here in the big city the light pollution too great for them to show their radiance. Not that he cared. Nothing touched him anymore, nothing beautiful at least. 

He walked on, unbuttoned black leather coat flapping round his legs as he moved through the less salubrious areas of Tokyo. He passed cheaply built apartment blocks, built to replace the old paper and wood-walled buildings that had been destroyed in the great earthquake, full of the deprived, depressed and often downright dangerous people who frequented this part of the city. Not that any of them were a danger to him. 

His target was dead and he simply needed to find where he’d parked his car and go back to the Koneko. 

A shadow detached itself from a doorway, a pair of glasses glinting in the dim light. 

“Abyssinian.” 

Perhaps one or two might be a danger after all. The man in front of him was one of them. His hand went to the hilt of the katana hidden in the folds of his coat. 

“What do you want, Oracle?” 

The taller man paused where he was and regarded the slender Japanese man. Alone as he was it would have been very easy for the Schwarz leader to dispose of him once and for all if that had been his intention. 

Fortunately for the younger man he had other goals. 

“No need for the katana. My reason for being here is one of mutual survival,” the American said as he stood his ground a few steps away from the edgy red-haired killer. 

“We’re in danger, both Weiss and Schwarz.” 

He stared back at the American, gaze impassive, eyes unreadable. His hand hadn’t moved from the katana’s hilt. 

“And I should believe you because…?” 

Crawford shrugged, “You shouldn’t. But keep your eyes open, Abyssinian and I don’t advise accepting any more solo missions or letting Kudoh go clubbing. Not if you want him alive. 

“We aren’t the only killers in town anymore, and this other group,” he offered the Weiss a wry smile, “is very good. Deadly actually. They nearly killed Schuldig, and they know who Weiss are, so watch your backs.” 

After what the Schwarz telepath had done to Omi and Ouka, he was rather upset that this unknown group of killers hadn’t succeeded in killing him. His gaze didn’t falter, he didn’t even frown. 

“If they targeted that telepathic lunatic and know who we are, then they know we’re your enemies,” he said calmly. “And the enemy of my enemy might well be my friend.” 

“I’ve given you my warning. It’s up to you to heed it, or not.” Crawford turned and started to walk away, “But if you give a damn about any of your team mates, especially the blond, you’ll listen to my advice.” 

He hated himself for doing it, despised wanting to protect others, abhorred the idea that he actually cared about anyone, but he had to know. 

“Why Kudoh especially?” 

“Because he is a drunk, and an easy target,” Oracle turned. “And if I were you, I’d check that Porsche carefully before driving it.” 

He nodded, it made sense. What didn’t make sense was why this group should want to take out both Weiss and Schwarz. 

“What do you know about them?” he asked. “And why are they targeting both teams?” 

“Your answer lies in who our masters are. We’re the dogs of Esset. Ask yourself who really holds your leash, Abyssinian.” 

The American stepped out into the street and quickly crossed going to a plain looking sedan parked on the other side. 

He followed, confused by Oracles' words. It was obvious who held their leashes, although Kritiker’s hold on his hadn’t been quite so tight since his sister had woken up. It hadn’t been noticeably tight before and he’d already walked away a few times although he had always returned. That thought made him sigh. 

“Kritiker are our masters as you well know,” he said quietly. 

But the sedan and Oracle were disappearing down the street. He frowned and walked on until he came upon his car. He unlocked it and popped the hood. Lifting the hood further he peered in at the engine. The line to the brake fluid had been neatly severed but whether this had been done by Oracle or this unknown group he had no way of knowing. 

He slammed the hood down and headed for the nearest train station. He would call a garage to tow the car and mend the brake line, until then he was on foot and public transport. 

The Weiss killer hadn't gone very far from his car before he got the nagging feeling he was being followed, though no matter how often he looked he never saw anyone. 

Not until he was already aboard the train, then he noticed a man watching from the platform. 

Blond and sleek, dressed all in black. The man made eye contact, and gave a sly, knowing smile to the red-haired man. 

Aya stared, wondering if his imagination was playing tricks on him, but no, the man was definitely there and definitely smiling. He glared back in response until the train started moving. The man was still on the platform but who was to say if he had an associate on the train? 

He spent the ride home mulling over what Crawford had told him, which was little enough, and realized that he was going to have a long talk with Omi when he got back to the shop. If there still was a shop… 

If these people were good enough to almost claim Mastermind they were certainly well able to take out a flower shop. 

He reached the shop to find it intact and entered after making sure he hadn’t been followed. What he didn’t see was the shadowy figure watching from an adjacent roof. 

Yohji looked up blearily as Aya came into the shop. The blond was parked on the stairs that led to their rooms, a half finished bottle of whiskey sitting on the step beside him, a cigarette dangling between his lips. 

Trashed and smoking in the shop. He offered the red-head a weary smile. “So you're back.” He got unsteadily to his feet, hand wrapped around the bottle of booze. “Going to bed. Night.” He turned to head up the stairs, swayed and caught himself by grabbing the railing. 

“Stay put, Yohji,” Aya said, “and try to sober up. I need you able to think.” The sounds of roaring spectators, an overexcited announcer and one of Ken’s shouted remarks about the referee’s parentage came wafting up the spiral stairs from the mission room. “Where’s Omi?” 

“Went to bed hours ago.” 

The blond regarded Aya, not liking what he was seeing in the red-head's expression. No one else would have noticed it, but Yohji did. There was something seriously wrong with Abyssinian's world. 

“Why do I need to be sober, mission not go well?” he asked as he parked himself against the wall at the bottom of the stairs. He took a slow drag off the cigarette and sighed the smoke back out. 

It finally dawned on him. He hadn't heard the Porsche. “What happened to your car?” 

"The Q and A will have to wait until everyone’s together, Kudoh. Now make yourself some coffee and sober up!” 

“Right, fine, whatever,” Yohji muttered as he took the downward spiral of the stairs, heading for the mission room and the coffee maker that they kept down there. 

Aya took the stairs two at a time and hammered on Omi’s door. There was a sound suspiciously like ‘meep’ and then the youngest Weiss called, “Who is it?” 

“It’s me. Something’s come up and I need everyone downstairs. Now.” 

“Okay, Aya-kun.” Omi wasted no time and was in the doorway with a robe over his pyjamas before Aya was halfway down the stairs. 

Ken was making the coffee when the other pair of Weiss arrived. Yohji was draped into a chair, his long legs over the arm, shoulders braced against the opposing arm. His eyes had drifted shut. 

“What's going on? Yohji said something about the apocalypse and your car being missing.” Ken stated as he hit the button to start the coffee brewing. 

Omi followed him into the room and stared at him wide-eyed. The look, as he knew well, was deceiving and the boy’s words bore that out. “What’s going on Aya-kun?” 

“The mission went according to plan with no problems at all,” Aya said and watched Omi relax, a little. “It was what happened next that is…disturbing.” 

He went on to tell them about Crawford’s words, the cut brake fluid line and the blond at the station. He looked directly at Omi. 

“Does Kritiker have any ties to Esset, however small they may be? And don’t tell me you don’t know because I know you do.” 

But it was Yohji that answered Aya, not the boy, “The Takatori’s did. Reiji was in bed with them, remember? How else could he have gotten Schwarz as his so called bodyguards? And then there was Masafumi. I suspect he was giving them the results of his... experiments.” 

“So you think Crawford was telling you the truth?” Ken shook his head, “I don't buy it. I mean, for all we know that blond was part of Esset and they're trying to fuck with our minds for some reason.” 

“That’s possible,” Aya said although he was still staring at Omi. “Is any member of your family still involved with Kritiker?” 

“I think my grandfather still takes an interest,” Omi said, looking uncomfortable at the mention of his real family. “He wanted me to take over as Persia if you remember. As to whether he has ties to Esset, I don’t know but he will put Takatori interests above all others no matter what it takes.” 

“It's still hard to picture why Crawford would bother to warn us though,” Ken remarked as he got out some cups for the coffee that was done brewing. 

“That does have me stumped too,” Yohji agreed then yawned and reached for his bottle of whiskey. 

“If what he said is true,” Aya said slowly, “and these people really did almost kill Mastermind, that means the telepath didn’t read the intention. It might also mean that Oracle can’t see them and that makes them a force to be reckoned with, whoever they are.” 

Omi was thoughtful as he removed the whiskey and handed Yohji coffee instead. “He would warn us as potential allies,” he said. “If it’s a choice between Schwarz and unknown others… well, better the devil you know, perhaps.” 

“Yeah, I guess so,” Ken agreed somewhat reluctantly. “Or they're trying to get us out in the open, or ..” he sighed, “who the hell knows what might motivate those bastards?” 

Yohji sat up in the chair and took a sip of coffee. “While I don't trust Crawford as far as I could throw the building we're in, I think if he gave us a warning like this it's to benefit Schwarz somehow.” 

“He called it mutual survival,” Aya said, “and quite frankly I’d believe he was the one who tampered with my car if it weren’t for the blond at the station.” 

“Mutual survival?” The blond frowned, jade eyes narrowing in deep thought, the man's face already taking on the same aspect that was common to him during more difficult missions. 

“You know, that implies they need our help. It makes you wonder why they'd need us in order to survive doesn't it?” 

“Like I said,” Aya ground out, totally pissed off by Yohji’s drunken state, “if they did manage to take down Mastermind, even to wound him, they’re more than just good.” 

“That’s true,” Omi said. “Do you think they can get past the vaunted Schwarz powers?” 

“How else could they ‘nearly kill’ Mastermind? We’ve been trying for years and the only one who’s come close is Kudoh.” 

“Not close enough,” Yohji muttered and finished his coffee. Ken got up to pour him another cup but the blond just shook his head. 

“Would you remember the guy if you saw him again?” Ken asked. “Maybe we can find him in the Kritiker database.” 

Yohji leaned back in his chair, “I'd bet we won't,” he commented and took a deep drink of the black coffee, before rubbing his face in an effort to stay awake. 

Ken frowned at how trashed Yohji was, “I think maybe we should just go to bed because one of us isn't at his best right now.” 

“I'm sorry guys, I'm dead tired and I can't think clearly anymore,” Yohji mumbled and got to his feet. 

“More like dead drunk,” Ken muttered. 

Yohji scowled at the ex-soccer player. “Fuck you too Ken.” 

The younger man gritted his teeth but kept his anger in check. Almost. “Keep it up Kudoh and you won't be worth shit to us.” 

The blond started to laugh. “I'm not worth shit to anyone anyway, so how's that a change?” 

“Seemingly none of us are,” Aya said in a voice like a bucket of ice cold water being dumped on them. “Crawford asked who held our leashes and referred to Schwarz as Esset’s dogs. Has it occurred to any of you that Kritiker has not seen fit to let us know there’s another assassin team in town?” 

“But… that would mean…” Omi sat down rather hurriedly as the thought that his family connections would not keep Weiss safe struck home. 

Yohji stopped and looked at his team mates. “We're fucked. What else is new? I didn't see Kritiker sending any help to us when we fought SD. If it weren't for Aya none of us would have survived that fiasco and I think we all know that. 

“Hell they didn't even let us know about Schwarz did they? And you know damned well Persia was aware of them. He had to be didn't he?” 

Ken was staring at the blond, his gaze hard, mouth set into a harsh line of anger. “I hate it when he's drunk and right.” 

“It was Persia that got me there when you fought SD,” Aya said fairly, “but you’re right about him not bothering to tell us about Schwarz.” He looked from Omi’s upset face to Ken’s angry one and on to Yohji’s sadly accepting one and realized with a sudden sense of clarity that they were all he had, damaged though they were. 

“Personally, I think it’s time to take the collar off.” He shrugged. “But then I’ve felt that way for a long time. And if they knew which car was mine and where I was, it means they know where we are right now. Kudoh might wish to be murdered in his bed, but I want to face death on my feet.” 

Ken's eyes widened as he thought of something really nasty. “Say, you don't think they could be a new assassin team for Kritiker do you? I mean....” he glanced at Aya, “we all know they've got other teams that do other things, and there were Weiss teams before us too. Maybe that's why they haven't mentioned it.” 

Yohji was staring at Aya. “We're all gonna die some day, Aya, but I don't plan on just lying down quietly and being murdered despite what you might think. 

“If it comes to that, I'm grabbing some ankles as I head for hell.” 

Omi got that serious and determined look that came over his face when something important was happening. He was the most trusting of Kritiker under normal circumstances but he stood up and headed for the computer. 

“I think a bit of judicious hacking is in order,” he said. “I’ll soon know if there’s a new Weiss or any other Kritiker team.” 

Ken just frowned and glanced at Aya, “Maybe we should take turns standing watch or something like that. Yohji needs to sleep it off and you just came in from a mission.” He ran a hand through his hair, “I'm not at my most alert either for that matter.” 

Yohji was still there, watching his team mates. Yes, he'd been drinking, and yes he was tired, but if it came down to it, he could keep going for a day or so if it was needed. If not, he wanted to sleep so he'd be sharp. 

“What do you need me for, Aya?” the question came out quiet, and totally without any indication of slurred speech. 

“I’ll keep watch,” Aya said. “It was hardly a strenuous mission. You two get some sleep.” 

“I’ve had some sleep, Aya-kun,” Omi said from the computer, “I can take first watch just as soon as I’ve done this.” 

“Night then,” Yohji said and immediately headed for the stairs. 

“Wake me up in three hours, Aya. You need to get some sleep too.” Ken started to follow Yohji then paused, “What are we doing about the Koneko? We're supposed to be open in six hours.” 

“Let’s see what I find out, Ken-kun,” Omi said. “It may well be that we’ll need to move to one of the safehouses.” 

“If we are going to remove the collars then fuck the shop,” Aya said succinctly. “I’ll be on the roof if you find anything Omi.” 

Omi nodded, his eyes fixed on the screen as he tapped in code. 

Ken ruffled the younger killer's hair, “I think we should get some of our stuff together and be ready to leave.” He frowned, “We need to get your car back, Aya. Maybe I'll go see if I can fix it once it's daylight.” 

“No,” he said. “I’ll get a garage to tow it and fix it. I don’t want you going anywhere near that car. If they tampered with the brakes they may well be waiting to pick off whoever comes for it.” He sighed and ran a hand through his hair as he thought. 

“But you’re right about packing up some of our stuff. Let Kudoh sleep for now.” 

“I'll go pack some of my stuff and some food, no idea where we're going so that might be something we won't have time to just run out and get.” Ken glanced at Omi, “You want me to pack some stuff for you, Omi-kun?” 

Omi nodded, still engrossed in the files. “Yes please, Ken-kun.” 

He followed Ken out of the room and went up the stairs to his room. Opening a drawer he took out his gun and loaded it. Picking up the box of bullets he continued up the stairs to the trap door that led to the roof. Opening it slowly he peered over the edge of it. When no bullet came for him he climbed onto the roof and made for the shadowed area against the wall of the heating duct. 

From here he had a good view of the surrounding area and would at least see someone coming for them. Hopefully… 

* * * * * * * 

The blond glanced at his cell phone, pushed the talk button. “Talk to me,” he said as he leaned in a deep shadow and watched the florist shop down the street. 

It was quiet, all the killers were safe in their den. He smiled, the look cold. Or so they thought. 

“The redhead’s on the roof. I could have picked him off for all of a split second. I’ll give him some credit. He’s pretty good.” The voice was female. 

“Yeah he is. He spotted me at the train station, but I did step out where he could see me.” 

The blond glanced at the rooftop where he knew his team mate was located. “I think the man is right. A present would make it fast and dirty, but too many other people might receive the same gift. We wouldn't want that.” 

“No. I think quickly and quietly. Probably one at a time, too.” She sighed. “Almost seems a shame.” 

“The blond will be easy. Nail him as he leaves a club, that is if things aren't ruined now. 

“I would have taken red tonight as planned, if the Oracle hadn't arrived and warned him about our game for this evening. He might have done more than that, but I didn't hear their conversation. Obviously I couldn't get close enough with the great and powerful Oz present.” 

“I don’t give a fuck about killing Schwarz but, for all their skill, this bunch seems strangely innocent.” 

“Schwarz very much needs to die.” 

He took a chance and stepped out of the shadows, trusting that he would know instantly if he were in any danger. His special skills had never failed him. Not once, not even when he nearly killed the Schwarz telepath, Mastermind. 

“Well, I don’t think they’re going to move very far tonight. And they’re very much on their guard. The redhead brought a gun and a whole box of bullets onto their roof. If I move he’s going to see me.” 

“I guess I need to provide a distraction then,” the man said as he walked across the street heading boldly for the alleyway and the pink delivery van they used at the shop. 

“It’s appreciated,” the woman said and cut the connection. All she had to do now was wait for the redhead’s attention be fixed elsewhere. 

Cold grey eyes regarded the back door of the shop. His head tilted as if listening to something only he could hear, then he spun, kicking the door with all the power in his right leg. 

Wood splintered with a loud crunch of sound as the door frame splintered. 

On the roof, Aya jumped to his feet and raced for the trapdoor, knowing he would be too late to help Omi if that’s where the intruder headed first. 

In the mission room Omi jumped to his feet, an ever present dart at the ready. 

Jas moved into the shop and headed right for the stairs, trusting his instincts, and the soft whispering of the voice in his head. He considered for a second, and then quietly drew his katana, deciding that kicking in the door had been enough noise. 

He paused, smiled and remained where he was, to the left of the steps where no one would see him as they entered the room. 

An instant later he heard footsteps coming down the stairs, quick yet quiet. A professional, just like him. 

A change in the air pattern told him the person was almost to the bottom step. The smell of strong liquor, the spicy scent of cologne and the acrid bite of cigarettes told him who it was. 

Kudoh. The oldest of the killers. 

Omi crept up the mission room stairs, silent as a cat. 

Honed by years of missions, Yohji paused, his heart racing. Someone was in the room. He couldn't hear them, or see them. Hell he couldn't even smell anything, but somehow he knew and he stopped where he was, reaching for his wire. 

But he wasn't quite fast enough. 

Something silver flashed in the dim light and he dodged, feeling something graze along his shoulder. But he got the wire out and it flickered through the air, a coil wrapping around the leather clad figure in front of him. 

Too fast, much too fast, the wire spun at him and he twisted and whipped the blade into it's path, turning the filament of death into several neat pieces. 

Yohji felt the wetness sliding down his chest, but he couldn't take the time to worry about how bad he was hurt. He had to get the swordsman. 

Almost there, just a few more steps, Omi edged closer to the silent and deadly struggle in the back hallway. Finally he could see the darker shadow that was the intruder. Something small and shining flew through the air to embed itself in the intruder’s arm. 

Yohji made his move at the same time Omi's dart hit the target, his wire wrapping around the same arm the dart had stuck. 

An instant later Ken joined the fray, the muscular jock hitting the unknown man and almost taking him off his feet. 

There was a brief scuffle, with Yohji worrying that Ken would get tangled in his wire. He had to let go or risk injuring the younger Weiss. 

Then Ken was stumbling back, and the swordsman was heading for the door at a run, bodily slamming Omi out of his way. 

Aya reached them just in time to see the blond disappear out the door. His eyes narrowed in impotent fury as he saw Omi picking himself up off the floor and Yohji touching his bleeding chest. 

Ken rubbed his head, feeling a knot on the side. “Shit, who in hell was that?" 

“I'd guess that was one of our would-be murderers,” Yohji replied as he glanced at Omi. 

“You okay, chibi?” 

“Sure, Yohji-kun, just a bit bruised, let me take a look at that wound.” 

“Make it quick, Omi,” Aya said. “We’re out of here tonight.” 

“It's nothing. Meet me in the bathroom with the gauze, I've got to wash the blood off before we leave,” Yohji said looking down at the crimson covering the front of him all the way to the waistband of the jeans he'd pulled on. 

Ken got to his feet, “That guy is scary good to get away from all of us.” 

Yohji frowned, “What do you want to bet we just saw the man that nearly killed Mastermind?” 

“Oh, so now we believe Oracle?” Aya asked. 

“I think we have to,” Omi said quietly. “Let me get Yohji patched up while you two finish packing our stuff. I’ll tell you what I found when we get to one of the safe houses.” 

“If any of them are safe anymore,” Aya said. It was all they could do, however, and he went back upstairs to start shoving things into a carryall.” 

“I never said I didn't believe what he said, I wondered at his motivation,” Yohji replied as he followed Omi up the stairs. “What kind of dart was that you used, Omi? It didn't seem to have much effect on him.” 

Ken followed his team mates, then paused. “I think I'm going to stay down here, just in case. We're vulnerable with that door broken off the hinges like this.” 

“Good idea Ken,” Yohji said over his shoulder. 

“Unfortunately it was only a sedative dart, Yohji-kun,” Omi said as he dived into the bathroom for the first aid kit. “He should be falling asleep right about now. Hopefully in a gutter somewhere!” The last words had been said quite venomously. 

“It's okay, chibi,” Yohji said, ruffling the boy's hair with the hand that wasn't covered in blood. "And if he's sleeping in a gutter, maybe going to find him is a good idea. I'm not too keen on running either, not after the hell we went through last time." 

“Well perhaps someone will do us a favor and run him over,” Omi said, “though knowing our luck it’s unlikely. Sit down, Yohji-kun and let me bind that wound before you lose any more blood.” 

"Yeah, luck wise, the best thing that ever happened to us is Aya, and well, even that's a mixed blessing," he replied very softly so the man in question wouldn't hear him. 

“Aya-kun is just quiet, Yohji-kun,” Omi said round a mouthful of safety pin. He cleansed the wound applied a gauze pad and started wrapping a bandage round Yohji’s chest to hold it all in place. “It doesn’t mean he doesn’t care about us, because he does. He shows it in what he does not what he says.” 

"I know," the blond sighed, looking tired. "I think he proved he cares when he rescued us from the garbage dump, but I just wish..." he shook his head. "Hell, I don't really know what I wish." 

That was a total lie. He did know exactly what he was wishing for and that was Aya in his bed, in his arms at night. 

And there wasn't a chance in Hell that would ever happen. He'd just love the man from arm's length, worry when he was on a solo mission and drink to try and keep the loneliness at bay because that was the only card life had dealt him. 

Omi just looked him in the eye. “Yes, you do, Yohji-kun, you just haven’t told him yet. I’m sure you will, one day.” 

The older man just stared, jade eyes full of shock. Then he frowned, "No, Omi. I won't ever tell him. Some things just aren't meant to be said between people, especially not between people like us, and that's one of them." 

Omi looked down as he fastened the bandage with the safety pin. When he looked back up his eyes were sad. “But if you don’t say it, Yohji-kun, nobody ever will and that would be a shame.” 

Yohji's voice was a harsh and raw-edged whisper, "Omi, it's just not something he wants to hear. Not from me, not from anyone." 

The blond pulled away from the boy, "Let's get packed and get out of here." 

Omi closed the first aid kit and stood up. He sighed but knew there was no point in saying anymore about Aya. Instead he said with some dignity. “I know I never grew very tall, Yohji-kun, but I am no longer a child so please don’t treat me like one. If you don’t wish to discuss your feelings I understand.” 

“I didn’t mean it like that, Omitchi,” the older man said, pausing to regard the boy-- young man, he had to remind himself. “And tall isn’t everything,” he added giving the boy a quick hug. 

“And we better get moving. His royal impatience is waiting on us.” 

Omi immediately brightened again at both the hug and Yohji’s words. It was sad that the blond couldn’t tell Aya-kun how he felt about him but at the same time understandable. 

He packed the first aid kit into his rucksack and was pretty much good to go. 

Aya appeared in the doorway, carryall in hand. “Are you nearly ready?” he asked. 

“I’ve got to grab a few things,” Yohji said as he made a quick retreat into his bedroom to toss some clean clothes, his only picture of Asuka, and a carton of smokes into his bag. 

He stood there a moment, considering taking a few other things, then he grabbed a bottle of lube out of his bedside table and a couple of yaoi manga out from under his bed shoving them into the duffle with the rest of the stuff. 

There was no way to know where they were going, and he might just need something to keep him... entertained. It was damn sure that might be the only gratification he’d get since dates were going to be out of the picture. And, short of actually fucking Aya, it was going to be rosy palm and her five sisters for the time being. 

He pulled on a shirt and headed out. 

* * * * * * * 

The blond man leaned against the building, the world dimmed in his vision. He felt tired, knew he was drugged. He pushed off of the wall and wove a few steps along the sidewalk, had to stop and brace himself upright against the building. 

Stupid, stupid. Careless too. Could have been killed that time. Damn... 

Even his thoughts were drifting and he sank to the sidewalk, trying to stay conscious and knowing that he was about to fail. 

*No, Jason, you have to stay awake! Wake up!* the voice only he could hear whispered. Iona sounded so far away. 

“C... can’t... stay... awake..” he mumbled as his knees wobbled under him, almost pitching him to the hard ground. 

Keiji would have his ass in a sling over this. 

If the Weiss didn’t find him first. 

He kicked, trying to regain his feet, but his body wasn’t obeying his will and his legs only twitched slightly in response. The blond’s head lolled, and he vainly tried to get to his feet a second time. Instead of rising he slid down the wall and landed on his side, body gone leaden. 

“Shh..it...” he slurred the word, the world going even darker as the drug pulled him farther from awareness, deeper into the danger of helplessness. 

Meanwhile the woman had clambered off her rooftop perch and was heading in the direction of the alley behind the shop. A muffled and slurred exclamation from the alley made her quicken her pace. 

Jason was lying against a wall with a muscular brunet crouched down at his side, fists gripping her team mate’s black duster. 

“Not so fucking clever after all, are you?” Siberian snarled as he started to haul the unknown killer to his feet. 

The woman raised a rifle automatically but didn’t fire in case she hit Jason. “Let him go,” she said coldly, “or you die right here and now.” 

Ken froze, his gaze instantly locating the source of the voice. A woman farther down the alleyway and she had a rifle. He could see it clearly despite the darkness. 

Shit, he thought to himself. He wasn’t alone. 

But neither was Ken and he could hear the sounds that told him the rest of his team mates were coming. 

He had two choices. Stay where he was, or dodge out of the way and hope the woman couldn’t bring her rifle to bear before he got to cover. 

He opted for the second option, moving like the world class athlete he was, rolling aside and shouting, “GUYS WE’VE GOT COMPANY!” 

“Shit,” Kate muttered, “fucking arsehole.” She took cover and waited, hoping she could pick at least one of the Weiss off. 

Aya dropped the carryall, drew his katana and ran to Ken’s side. 

The brunet grabbed the red-head and hauled him bodily out of the woman’s line of fire. “Keep down, she’s got a rifle.” 

Yohji darted out, a coil of wire spinning down the alleyway as he got a look at the situation. He stepped back into the doorway and motioned with his hand to indicate a single target, giving Abyssinian a nod to tell him that Ken was correct. 

The man in black leather that had given them so much trouble was still barely conscious, and he tried to fumble his pistol from beneath his coat with no success. 

Two Weiss in his sights and him unable to do shit about it. 

A shadow at the end of the alleyway drew his attention, but his gaze was too unfocused to make out who it might be. 

Aya nodded his acknowledgement of Yohji’s signal and resheathed the katana. His hand moved to the pistol in its shoulder holster and he drew it quietly, training it on the black clad assassin lying against the wall. Now he had bargaining power. 

The black leather clad man could just make out the business end of a nasty looking pistol pointed at him. 

*No! No!* a voice in his head begged, the sound frantic. Right at the corner of his vision he could see the shadowy form of a young girl, her blond hair pulled back in a ponytail, a frilly white and pink dress covering her small body. 

He gave a choked whimper, tried to reach out to her. “S... okay...” he slurred out. 

Ken frowned, “He’s hallucinating,” he remarked as he tried to get a better idea where the woman had gone. 

“If either one of you move, I’ll blow your heads off,” a frost cold voice said from behind the Weiss. 

Yohji stepped back a bit farther in the doorway, his hand at his watch, eyes on Aya waiting for a signal. This wasn’t the first time they’d had to play this game and he edged aside slightly to give Omi a bit of room to maneuver. 

He’d draw the new target’s fire and let Omi deal with him the same way he’d handled the blond lying in the alley, except this time Yohji suspected the dart Omi would throw wouldn’t be a tranquilizer, it would be one of the deadly lethal kind. 

“Your helpless friend here will die first,” Aya called back, voice equally arctic. 

Omi had shifted slightly beside Yohji and had one of his poison tipped darts in his hand and a good enough view of the shadowy figure of the newcomer. “And you’d soon follow,” he murmured. 

“He might die, but I can assure you that the four of you won’t see the light of day if he does,” the voice behind them said. “And if either of the two in the door of the shop makes a move, I will kill you, Abyssinian, and my friend will blow Siberian’s head off.” 

Yohji glanced down at the chibi and mouthed, Go out the front door, but be careful, as he repositioned himself in the doorway and drew his own pistol. 

Omi shifted back into the doorway and then into the back of the shop, sprinting for the front entrance but realizing as he got there that the sound of the shutter being raised would alert their enemies. Stalemate. _Ah well, It’s been a nice life._

He made his way back to Yohji, shaking his head to let Balinese know that the front was a no go. 

“What do you want with us?” Aya demanded, gun still trained on the now motionless man. 

“Right now what we want is our friend back,” the unknown man said. “So let’s work a trade. We won’t kill any of you, and you let us have him. In exchange for that, none of you die. Other wise...” there was a pause to let the Weiss fill in the blank. 

Aya snorted mirthlessly. “For how long?” 

“Until we meet again,” the barely seen man in the shadows replied. “Of course, if I think my friend is going to die, then we’re going to get messy. You won’t like it if we decide to be messy.” 

Yohji frowned at Aya and whispered, “Don’t like the sound of that.” 

“Me either,” Ken murmured. “What do we do?” 

Yohji glanced at Omi, “Bow, roof? Doable?” 

“Wrong angle,” Omi said with a frown, “the alleyway’s too narrow. We may have to give in to their demands - this time.” 

Aya, it seemed had come to the same conclusion for he slowly lowered the gun although it remained in his hand. 

“I don’t like this,” Ken remarked as he pressed himself tighter to the van, trying to stay as low as he could. 

“Shit,” the oldest Weiss muttered. He put his back to the open door and peered out into the alleyway. “Son of a bitch, he’s moved behind Seven.” 

“Balinese, if you move again, Abyssinian will pay for your efforts.” 

Anger flashed in the man’s jade eyes, “Fucker...” 

The woman moved closer to her fallen comrade, rifle still trained on Ken’s chest. “Back off, Abyssinian,” she ordered, “or Siberian’s a dead man. 

Snarling, Aya backed away. 

Ken was frowning but he stayed right where he was, watching the woman. Even in the dark he could see she was beautiful and that turned his frown to a scowl. 

He gave Aya a worried glance. If they had to kill these three somehow they had to make sure Yohji wasn’t going to have to face off with the woman. The blond couldn’t take much more on that front. Not after Neu. 

Yohji watched the woman move in closer to his team mates, gripping the pistol in his hand tightly ready to open fire if anyone made a false move. Sweat beaded his upper lip and he fought the rising dread that filled him at the prospect of doing murder on a woman, even one holding a gun trained on his friend. 

“Let’s all take it easy and we’ll all walk out of this alive,” the man hiding behind Seven urged as he rose to his feet a pair of pistols trained on the Weiss in the doorway. 

The woman bent to feel for the pulse in the intruder’s neck, when she found it was steady she straightened up and called. “He’s alive.” 

Aya stood still as a statue, only the narrowing of his eyes giving any indication of his mood. 

Omi kept his dart palmed in case he could get a clear throw at the man with the pistols. If he could, he was dead. 

“Good. And I promise you, Bombay and Balinese, if I see a dart or wire coming for me or my associate, both Siberian and Abyssinian will pay with their lives.” 

Yohji’s face had fallen into the hard lines it wore on missions. He was waiting, ready with his .45, gaze on Aya, watching for a signal from the red-head that would tell him what to do. He just couldn’t believe that Aya intended to let the three other killers walk away. It wasn’t how the red-haired man operated. 

The roar of two performance engines broke the relative silence of the night, adding to the tension humming through Ken’s body. 

“Shit, if that’s more of them...” he whispered to Aya. 

“You ready to die yet?” Aya muttered back. “Personally, I don’t give a fuck but I’m not prepared to get the rest of you killed.” He raised his voice so the unknown man and woman could hear him. “Take your friend and go.” 

The brunet on the ground looked up at Aya but he didn’t move a muscle. Neither did Yohji, but the blond looked very unhappy. 

The man nearest Seven stepped forward, his pistols still trained on the doorway. Like the blond he was clad in black from throat to toes. Unlike the blond he was very apparently Japanese like the Weiss themselves. 

His hair was also a mix of bright red and jet black, and there were earings glinting in the dim light from his left ear. Three of them. 

“Back off, Abyssinian,” he ordered Aya sharply, his position allowing him to see both the Weiss in the alley and those in the doorway. “Nice and slow, walk toward my rifle carrying friend. 

“Siberian, if you so much as breathe hard, I’ll kill you.” 

Aya backed away, heading towards the woman, the useless gun heavy in his hand. 

Omi sighed slightly, knowing they had no choice if reinforcements had arrived. He wasn’t quite ready to give up and go to hell just yet. 

The woman gestured at the gun in Aya’s hand with the rifle. “Drop it!” He complied. 

“Smart move, Abyssinian,” the Japanese man said as he met Yohji’s gaze. “If you don’t drop your gun Balinese, I’m going to kill both Abyssinian and Bombay. And if I don’t see a dart hit the ground right now, Bombay, I’m going to kill your friends.” 

Yohji let his hand relax on the grip of his .45, then he lowered it to the ground, moving very slowly. There was a faint trace of a smile on his face, but his eyes were hard as steel and his team mates could see the deadly promise in Yohji’s gaze. The man was going to die the next time they met up with him. 

“Ah, now don’t be that way, Balinese,” the man all but purred. “Get into the doorway with your friends, Abyssinian. Keep your back to me and the first one of you to move,” he returned Yohji’s slight smile, but the look in his eyes was full of contempt, “well I’m sure you don’t need to hear any more promises from me do you?” 

Omi shut his eyes in defeat and dropped the dart in his hand, careful to make sure it didn’t hit Yohji on the way down. 

Meanwhile Aya backed towards the doorway, his face showing absolutely no emotion to the other team but, to those who knew him well, his eyes showed his fury. 

From the blue imported sports car at the end of the alleyway a young man with hair as blue as his car got out and stood with a gun leveled over the top of the vehicle. He was young. Probably Omi’s age, with a delicate rather feminine face on which a hint of eyeliner could be seen. 

“If any of them move,” the black clad man said to his team mate, “you know what to do.” 

He walked past the door with pantherish grace, bent down and scooped up his fallen team mate, hefted the man over his shoulder and spun around, heading for the waiting cars. 

Yohji was watching the man. Now that he could see his face more clearly there was something almost familiar about him, but the blond Weiss couldn’t place it. 

Meanwhile a man with shoulder length violet-colored hair and cold honey brown eyes had joined the woman, a small gun trained unerringly on Ken. The woman used his cover to follow her team mates towards the cars. He walked backwards behind her, still covering Ken with the gun. 

Yohji was really frowning now, and Ken looked positively stunned. Not only did these people know who they were, but there were at least five of them. 

Five to their four. 

And that got the one time detective thinking about Crawford’s warning in a whole new light. If there were five, there might be more. How many more was anyone’s guess. 

The man reached the cars and put his downed team mate into the nearest one, then he drew his guns again and returned to the side of Seven. 

“I’ll cover them, you two move out,” he said to the woman and the violet haired man. 

The woman nodded and headed towards the cars, the man following, cold eyes and gun still on Ken until he’d passed the man who was obviously their leader. 

Omi gasped quietly and put a hand to his mouth. “That’s ridiculous,” he breathed. 

Aya glanced at him. “What’s ridiculous?” he asked quietly as their assailants disappeared into the cars and drove off at speed. 

“They looked like j-rockers,” Omi said. “Only I can’t think which band they remind me of.” 

Yohji nodded. “He’s right. I think I’ve seen them before... somewhere, but damned if I can recall where.” 

The man with the red and black streaked hair waited until the man and woman were in the first car where he’d placed the blond. He backed slowly away, and then sprayed the wall of the shop with a series of bullets, the shots placed high, more as a distraction than with intention to kill. 

By the time the last chips of brickwork had hit the street, the man was in the nearest car. 

An instant later they were all gone amid the squeal of tires, the roar of engines and the acrid stink of rubber. 

Ken was holding his right thigh, swearing softly as blood streamed between his fingers. “Fucking bastard...”


	2. Chapter 2

Crawford was sitting on the edge of Schuldig’s bed, normally unreadable, cold gaze turned on Schuldig as he stroked the sleeping German’s sunset orange hair, his touch and gaze as tender as a lover’s. 

So close. It had been so very, very close. 

“Stay with me, Schuldig,” he murmured, the tone as gentle as his touch. If anyone in Esset had seen him they would have called him a weak fool. 

Maybe he was a fool. Maybe how he felt for the telepath was a weakness. 

But it was the last remaining shred of his humanity and he wouldn’t discard it for any amount of money or power. 

Not when the thought of Schuldig being gone from his life would have blasted his last remaining reason to live into ashes. 

He shivered at a dim vision, Weiss doing as badly in their first encounter with the enemy as Schwarz had done, though none of them had come close to dying, thanks to his warning. 

It angered him, his failure to predict, to know the danger they were in, or to see what would happen to Schuldig with enough warning to stop it. 

As it was, he’d only had enough warning to get there before the red-haired man had died. And that had been too close for comfort. 

Much too close. 

The telepath’s breathing was shallow and laboured, the hole in his chest making slight sucking sounds with each inhalation that could be heard through the bandages wrapped round him. The only luck they’d had was the bullet had passed straight through and exited through Schuldig’s back, smashing a couple of ribs as it punched through. His face was so pale as to be almost bloodless, but he was clinging onto life with grim determination. 

They couldn’t risk a hospital for numerous reasons, but they did have access to some shady physicians who’d done what they could for the man in the bed. It was a matter of time. 

Or tracking down one of the Esset healers, a task he’d turned over to Nagi and his remarkable abilities with a computer. 

The American leaned down and whispered into the German’s ear, “Don’t you dare leave me you German shit. Do you hear me? I need you. Don’t you fucking die on me.” 

He rested his forehead against Schuldig’s and closed his eyes, reaching out for the other man’s mind. *Stay with me, Schu.* 

There was a light tap at the door and Nagi poked his head round it, young face haggard and making him look much older than his years. “I’ve located Dr Heinrich,” he said, “luckily he’s in Tokyo and is on his way.” 

He glanced towards the pale figure in the bed. Schuldig could be a major irritant in his life but if anything happened to the telepath he would be devastated. 

Crawford looked up, nodded to the boy. “Thank you, Nagi. Why don’t you get some rest? You look tired.” 

He looked down at the man in the bed, his face showing a glimmering of hope. “Do you hear that, Schu? Nagi found Dr. Heinrich. You’ll be fine, just fine.” 

“I was going to offer to watch over him while you got some rest,” Nagi offered. 

Brad actually gave the boy a slight smile, “I’m okay. I want to be with him for a while longer.” 

Farfarello joined the boy in the doorway. Anger made his one eye burn like a coal from the depths of Hell, “I got the guns you asked for, Crawford.” 

He nodded to Farfarello. “Good. We’ll let Weiss calm down then I want the pair of you to pay them a visit, deliver the guns and my offer.” 

“Will they accept it, do you think?” Nagi asked. “They still consider us as enemies after all.” He wasn’t afraid of the Weiss assassins, there wasn’t much that Naoe Nagi actually needed to be afraid of but he rather wanted to avoid any… unpleasantness. 

“I think so, after what just happened to them.” Brad touched Schuldig’s chilled cheek. “They now want these bastards as badly as we do because they understand they are up against killers every bit as good as they themselves are. Worse, they know they are outnumbered too.” 

He leaned down and pressed a light kiss on the German’s lips then turned to his two other team mates. “What they aren’t aware of is the fact that at least one of them is ... has an odd talent.” 

Farfarello frowned. “A talent? You mean he’s like us?” 

“In a manner of speaking. He’s protected by a ghost.” 

Nagi grimaced slightly at that news. “Do you want us to tell them that?” he asked. 

There was the slightest of groans from the bed and Schuldig’s blue eyes flickered open. He saw Brad and smiled, mouthing the words thank you before closing his eyes again and screwing up his face at the pain. 

“Yes, tell them. I... I’ll stay here with Schu.” He sat back down by the bed and took the German’s hand in his own. 

*I’m here. I won’t leave you.* 

*I know. You called me back, I think.* There was the slightest pressure on his hand, all the German could manage. 

“Come on Farf,” Nagi said. “Just don’t try killing any of the kitties while you’re with me.” 

“I won’t so long as they play nice,” the Irishman promised as he closed the door on Crawford and the wounded German. 

The American didn’t even notice them leaving as Brad raised Schuldig’s cold hand to his lips and pressed a kiss to the palm. *I’m here, Schu. I won’t leave you.* 

*Thanks, Brad. Sorry to worry you.* 

Nagi poked his head round the door again. “Dr Heinrich is here. Shall I send him in? Farf and I are on our way now.” 

Crawford let Schuldig’s hand go, “Send him in, Nagi, and the two of you should get ready. They’re heading to the mountain cabin. The directions are on my PDA which is on my desk near the keyboard.” 

Nagi nodded his understanding and opened the door to let the Esset healer into the room before disappearing again. 

Dr Heinrich had never received a medical qualification in his life but if anyone could save Schuldig it was him. He was a short, plump and jolly man with a shock of white hair and pale blue eyes that were surrounded by laughter lines. 

He took one look at Schuldig and shook his head sadly. “What were you thinking young Schuldig, hmm? Ack what a mess you’ve let them make.” 

“Just heal him, Doctor,” Crawford requested, his voice having lost any trace of softer emotion. “I need him up and able to get back to work as quickly as possible.” 

“Of course you do, Crawford, of course you do. Now, if you’ll just get out of my way… Go and boil some water or something.” 

Schuldig actually managed the barest trace of a smile at that. 

Brad simply stepped back out of the man’s way and stood patiently while Heinrich went to work. 

*I’d kill him if there wasn’t the ever-present thought that we might need him again someday,* the Oracle told Mastermind. 

*Ack, he’s like me. He likes his little joke.* 

*That’s not why I’d kill him. I’d do it to keep him from being a danger to us. And if I thought he’d pose one, I’d blow his brains out the minute he was done with you.* 

Heinrich lost no time, gently removing the bandages so he could better see the damage. The agony of this caused Schuldig to faint again. 

“Hmm, good clean wound. Exit wound, gute, gute. No bullet to remove. Excellent!” 

He bent over Schuldig and placed his hands over the hole in the telempath’s chest. There was no visible sign, but eventually the wound began to close up. 

Brad watched the healer passively, letting the man do his job, keeping the relief off his face as he saw the horrible wound beginning to close. 

The muscles in his jaw jumped as he ground his teeth together in rage. They’d almost lost Schuldig this time. And he’d be damned if anyone would ever come that close again. 

Not ever again. Even if it meant allying themselves with the Weiss, even if it meant bathing the streets of Tokyo in blood he meant to see the man who’d done this to his lover dead. 

* * * * * * * 

The young man with the dark blue hair and black eyes frowned to himself as he gazed at the screen. Why the hell was Bombay finally deciding to stop trusting his organization and hack into Kritiker? He followed the path from his own computer and his brows rose at how quickly the Weiss hacker had got into the system and found some very incriminating evidence. Perhaps that would persuade the little idiot that he was batting for the wrong team. Not that it would do him much good. 

He swung round in his chair to monitor the Schwarz team’s hacker. He was a lot harder to anticipate than the Weiss kid but tonight he’d been running scared and had searched for an Esset talent, a healer. Seemingly Mastermind was still hanging on to life then. 

“What the fuck were you two thinking, Kate!” Kei’s voice, raised in anger from the living room. 

Hisato, his long black hair streaked with vivid orange, stuck his head in the door. “They’re back. If you’ve got any excuse to stay up here, I’d use it.” 

The young man grimaced at the tone Kei had used. For him to speak to Kate that way something was seriously wrong. Their leader was usually open and friendly with them all….unless pissed. The raised voice indicated he was beyond pissed. 

“What the fuck happened to get him that mad at them?” he asked. 

“Jas went up against all four Weiss and got darted. Kate and the Weiss were in a face off over Jas, and Kei, Aki and Issei and I had to go in after them. 

“Jas could have gotten himself and Kate killed. And now they’ve seen Kei, Issei and Aki too.” 

“No wonder Kei’s furious. It’s unlike either Kate or Jas to be that careless.” He turned to grin at Hisato. “Are Weiss really that good?” he asked. 

“Yeah, they’re good. I don’t know if they’re in the same class as Kei or... well Jas.” He grinned at the other man, “And I don’t think they’ve got a top of the line hacker like you. 

“I just don’t get what got into Jas. He’s normally so damned careful-- anal even-- it’s not like him to make a mistake.” 

The man rubbed the back of his neck, “Actually, I’m not sure he’s ever made one.” 

“In actual fact, Bombay’s not that bad. Come and have a look at this.” He indicated the screen on the first computer. “He’s hacked into Kritiker to find out what’s going on. I get the feeling they had no idea why they’d been targeted. Now at least one of them does.” 

“You’d have thought that Fujimiya at least would have been less than happy to work for a Takatori. I mean his life was destroyed by the very family he now kills for, it hardly makes any sense.” 

He chuckled softly. “Schwarz is still trying to save Mastermind’s life. Their hacker found them a healer.” 

“If he lives it will be one more mistake on Jas’ tally sheet, at least as far as Kei is concerned,” Hisato remarked. “But Crawford did get there before he could make sure the telepath was dead.” 

The blue-haired man thought about the Weiss leader. “Chances are that Fujimiya never realized he was killing for a Takatori after Shuichi was killed.” He sighed softly. “Until Bombay lets the others know what he’s found out, I don’t think they even understand why they’re being targeted.” 

He carefully said nothing at all about Schwarz. They knew exactly who pulled their strings. 

“I guess that is a point in their favour. Maybe that’s why Kei hasn’t already blown the shit out of them.” He gave a quirk-lipped smirk, “Between you and me, I think he wants the older three as part of the team. We could always use more trained killers. Gods know we’ve got too many jobs to undertake and not enough hands.” 

The hacker pouted a little at that. He had been training since he’d walked into the organization’s front with proof of their computer vulnerability and lived to tell the tale. As yet, though, he hadn’t been allowed to go on any missions with them. 

“There’s a pair of hands here that keeps being ignored,” he muttered. “And I’m the only one of us, apart from Aki, who can actually pass as a woman.” He chuckled and poked his tongue out at Hisato. 

Hisato grinned, “I know of a use you could put that to, I mean other than licking stamps.” He sighed, “And Kei doesn’t want to risk you and you damned well know why. We’ve only got one good hacker, and baby that’s you.” 

“Yeah, yeah, I know the arguments,” the hacker said sulkily, “and as for what I may or may not be licking it sure as hell won’t be you, Hisato!” 

“I can dream can’t I? Besides, you don’t stand a snowball’s chance in hell with Kei, and you should have figured that out already.” 

“NO EXCUSES!” carried up the stairs, Kei’s roar of anger making Hisato visibly flinch. “Well it sounds like we’re in for a wonderful evening. Gah.” 

The hacker nodded his agreement, his expression sour. Then what Hisato had actually said registered and he turned quickly and smacked the other man upside the head. “Watch your mouth, Hisato. I’m still in mourning.” 

“Ouch!” the man muttered, rubbing his head. “Yeah, mourning. But I’ve seen how you watch him, Tsuki. Don’t pretend you aren’t interested on some level.” 

“I’m going downstairs to see if I can keep Kei from murdering our team mates.” He stepped away from the hacker, “Keep an eye on that Weiss kid. He’s a Takatori you know.” 

“Hisato, just go away before I murder you!” 

“Yeah, okay I’m going. But remember what I said about that little Takatori shit. Never fucking trust a Takatori, but I’m sure you know that,” the man said as he departed. 

Downstairs the rest of the team was gathered in what to anyone who might come in looked like nothing more than a room set up for entertainment purposes. Complete with a wide screen TV with surround sound, a five disc changer DVD player, a video game console and a large collection of DVDs and games for the system, it looked no different that any room one might find in the house of a wealthy group of young men. 

But one of those young men, he of the red hair and black leather was glaring at the man and woman seated on the couch before him, a .45 clutched in his fist, anger turning his gaze cold, twisting his mouth into a sneer of contempt. 

“There can be no mistakes! No mistakes! Do you understand me?” 

The blond on the couch nodded, but the motion was listless, the effects of the drug in Bombay’s dart still not worn off. 

The woman sat with her eyes closed and head bowed, letting the storm break over her. She knew better than to argue and she also knew that everything being said was absolutely right. They’d been both been lax to say the least. 

The man with the violet hair stood against one of the walls, his arms folded face an expressionless mask. When their leader was in this mood nobody called attention to themselves if they had any sense and Issei liked to think he had plenty of that. 

The blue haired man was as far away from their irate leader as he could get, the small wet bar in the back corner of the room between himself and Kei, his face pale as death. Akira hated it when the older man got into one of these moods and he didn’t like the yelling and shouting that always accompanied them. 

He fidgeted with the cloth napkins behind the bar, folding and unfolding one of them nervously. 

Jas just glowered at Kei, his grey eyes as cold as the other man’s, no trace of anything but anger on his face as he stubbornly got to his feet and took a shaky step toward the red-haired man. “Don’t you fucking lecture me!” 

There was a flash in their leader’s eyes, like lightning the colour of midnight, which was followed by a resounding crack of sound as he backhanded the blond to the floor. 

Jas hit the floor, his drug dulled senses further impaired by the bright whirl of lights dancing across his vision, his ears ringing from the force behind the blow. 

“You... shhit...” he slurred, and got a booted foot in the ribs for the insult. 

Kei dropped to his knee and grabbed a handful of silky blond hair, yanking Jas’ head back painfully, but the man made no sound to show he felt any pain. Kei lowered his head to Jas’ ear and said, “Have you forgotten what you swore to me? To the whole team, Jas? Or was this a tiny lapse in memory from being drugged? Tell me,” the man whispered softly, “that you’ve made a mistake and want my forgiveness.” 

The blond’s cold grey eyes closed, the man swallowing blood. “Kei... I...” 

“Tell me, Jas,” Takeshi murmured into the blond’s ear. 

“Forgive me, Kei-sama.” 

The man let him go and stepped away. “No more mistakes!” 

The woman looked up then. “It was my fault. I was pinned on a roof. Jas was creating a diversion to get Abyssinian off their roof so I could move. I’m sorry, Kei.” 

Kei just glowered at her. “A diversion would not have left the two of you in need of rescue!” he snapped. “Setting fire to their shop would have been a diversion. Going in and being darted like an amateur was not a diversion, it was stupidity!” 

She shut up, knowing that what he said was correct. Nobody had been more surprised than she when Jas had kicked in the back door of the shop and gone straight in. She let the silence stretch out, Hisato arriving in the room the only distraction. 

Tsuki followed him down a few moments later. “Weiss went looking for answers, Schwarz for a healer,” he said before joining the blue-haired man behind the bar and gently taking the napkins from his hands with a smile. 

Jas sat up, but his head was still down, bowed to the other man. 

Kei put the gun to the blond’s head, “I should kill you for this--“ the .45 lowered. “But I won’t.” He slipped the weapon back into it’s shoulder holster. “Don’t fail me again, Jas. You were supposed to kill the telepath and you didn’t succeed, you were told not to do anything but watch the Weiss, and you made direct contact with them. You’ve never made mistakes before, and two have been more than you are allowed.” 

The red-haired man glanced at Tsuki. “Did the Weiss find the answers they needed to see?” 

Hisato frowned but kept his mouth shut while Aki poured some whisky into a shot glass knowing that would be the first thing Jas would want once he was permitted to move. Even from where he was at behind the bar he could see the man’s bottom lip was swelling. 

Beside him Tsuki nodded. “Bombay had got far enough to realise,” he said. “As long as he tells the others what he found, they’ll understand.” He had no idea why Kei had hit Jas, but he knew enough about their leader to know it would have been deserved. The man’s usual style was to have them play as a team rather than his subordinates. 

Kei nodded, the tension finally draining from him. He turned his back to everyone for a moment then stepped to the very front of the room, turning to face them. “I want all of you to understand one thing, and I want to make sure it is very clear.” He gave a sour look at Jas and Kate, then continued. “This isn’t just a normal mission. We aren’t after your typical terrorists or crime syndicate members here, we are after two groups of highly trained and skilled killers.” 

He paused to let that sink in while Jas got unsteadily to his feet and dropped onto the couch. 

Nobody said anything in reply. There was nothing to say. They all knew the score and they all knew the risks. Weiss had turned out to be just as dangerous prey as Schwarz were. 

Issei unfolded his arms and relaxed, prizing himself off his wall and heading for the bar. Tsuki poured him dark rum, his drink of choice. 

“Understand, they are more dangerous than any other groups we’ve ever faced. Especially Schwarz. They aren’t normal human beings. And they’re cold-blooded killers. Farfarello is a sociopath, Schuldig and Crawford are both quite sadistic. Naoe is a serious danger because he owes his loyalty to Crawford and will do anything to protect his ‘family’ regardless how twisted they are.” 

He walked over to the couch and looked down at Jas, “I don’t want to lose any of you because you underestimate these people. We’re so accustomed to being the baddest dogs in the yard, but we aren’t. You’re all very good, yes, but they are just as good--“ he glanced around the room, “and Schwarz has an edge most of us don’t even come close to possessing.” 

He touched Jas’ cheek, “You’re the best we’ve got on that score, and look at what you did tonight. We can’t take these kinds of risks. None of us can least of all you, Jas. It was damned stupid, and I still can’t believe you fucked up this badly.” 

The blond just averted his head, ashamed, a faint tinge of color warming his cheeks. 

“Yeah, Kei. I know, it was a jackass thing to do. I... won’t ever do it again.” 

Tsuki busied himself helping Aki to pour drinks. It was a lot better to keep busy than deal with the turmoil in his own mind. Hisato had been right. He did have a bad case of lust for Kei and an equally strong understanding that he was never going to have that lust returned. If he had any sense he would take up Hisato’s barely concealed offers. But he’d never been known for his sense. 

Aki offered their newest team mate a warm smile, and whispered, “It’s not usually like this. I’m really sorry you had to see Kei so angry. He’s not usually like that but...” his voice dropped lower, “I think seeing Jas so helpless... well it probably scared him. He’s very attached to the other man because he’s been with the team almost as long as Hisato, and he’s been with Kei a long time. They went to school together.” 

“Don’t worry about it, Aki. I know my parents were always at their angriest with me when I’d worried them by being out late or not letting them know I was safe.” He kept the pain he felt at hearing how long Kei and Jas had been together carefully hidden behind a bright smile. 

“I’d better go and see what the opposition are up to, if anything,” he said and disappeared back upstairs. 

* * * * * * * 

Omi closed the laptop thoughtfully. He’d brought it with him and connected it up as soon as they’d reached the cabin. He wanted to be certain that he’d found all there was to know about Kritiker’s loyalties since his grandfather had taken over the organization. It did not make for easy reading and he knew that Aya, especially, was going to be furious. 

“Um…guys, I think I know why we’ve been targeted,” he said. 

Ken stuck his head into the living room from the kitchen, “Oh? So there’s an actual reason, I mean, beyond them being killers out for our blood?” 

Yohji peered in through a window and carefully exhaled so the smoke from his cigarette didn’t blow into the cabin. “What did you find out, chibi?” 

Aya glanced up from where he was sitting, cross-legged on the floor, sharpening his katana. Omi swallowed hard, wondering if the redhead would ever speak to him again after this. Gods how he hated being a Takatori. 

“Kritiker is now being run by my grandfather,” he said in a soft voice. “He…he’s always been rather like Reiji, putting Takatori interests before any other consideration. Kritiker’s ideals under my father hold no real interest for him and so he’s looked for ways to make the organization both pay and glorify his interests…” He broke off, feeling physically sick. 

Ken sighed, turned off the pot of water he’d been boiling for noodles and joined Aya and Omi in the living room, his appetite gone. “So you’re telling me we aren’t really getting rid of ‘dark beasts’ we’re just furthering the ambitions of yet another of your relatives?” 

Yohji snorted, “Sorry chibi, Ken, but I’ve suspected that was the case for a while.” He glanced at Aya, “I just kept my mouth shut because rocking the boat, so to speak, would just have gotten me-- or all of us-- killed.” 

“It gets worse,” Omi whispered. “He… he’s passed Kritiker over to another group, that group is…” 

“Esset,” Aya finished for him. “Crawford’s words only make any sense at all if that’s the case.” 

“I’m so sorry, Aya-kun,” he whispered. 

Aya sheathed the sword and rose to his feet in one single graceful movement. “Sorry doesn’t begin to cover it, Omi, but it’s not your fault.” Then he strode out of the door. 

Yohji tossed the butt of his cigarette into the can he used as an ashtray and followed Aya off the porch, “Where are you going?” he asked the red-head. 

“To watch for and repel boarders of course!” 

Ken turned an unutterably morose face to his younger team mate, “So we’re working for those bastards now? Well fuck that shit. I just quit being in Weiss.” 

“How can we do that? They will just hunt us down and terminate us.” He put a hand to his mouth as he realized the truth. “But we’re being hunted anyway. I…I…” but he’d lost all sense of rightness and righteousness and with them his ability at tactics. He raised huge eyes to Ken’s face. “I don’t know what to do, Ken-kun.” 

“Aya and Yohji will know what to do, Omi-kun,” the ex-soccer player said. “Just give them a couple of hours to work it out.” 

“I hope you’re right, Ken-kun.” 

“They’ll think of something, you know they will.” * 

Aya had moved to a position where he could watch the only road and all the surrounding countryside. He was deep in thought as he watched. 

His sister was well provided for until the day she finished her education and could fend for herself so the money from Kritiker was not as important as it had once been. He could walk away but would probably be caught by the team who had attacked them the night before. It didn’t really matter. He might have lived as a slave for years but he could at least die free. 

Yohji cleared his throat and waited for the other man to acknowledge his presence. 

He glanced at Kudoh but said nothing. There was nothing to say. He’d made his decision and doubtless the blond would make his own. When he didn’t go away he growled out, “What do you want, Kudoh?” 

“I think we need to plan our next move, don’t you?” the older assassin asked softly. “Those guys aren’t going to just go away, and, shitty as my life is, it’s mine and I don’t plan to just let them kill me without a fight.” 

“That’s just it, Kudoh, our lives aren’t our own,” he said, “we’re owned, body and soul. The only question is, do we die slaves?” 

Yohji grabbed the red-haired man and spun him around and jabbed a finger into the younger man’s chest. “Don’t you dare fucking lay down and die on me now, damn it!” he snarled. Getting right in the other man’s face he continued, “We’ve been in worse trouble; the whole mess with SD comes to mind! Now get a gods-damned grip and help me plan our next move!” 

“Get off me,” Aya snapped. “Who said I was intending to lie down and die? But we need to face facts, Kudoh. If the bastards from last night don’t get us, Kritiker or Esset will. Doesn’t mean I’ll go down without a fight.” 

Yohji sighed, ran a hand through the hair that was falling out of his usual ponytail and backed up a step. “We need to get out of Japan.” 

There was the faint sound of an approaching car coming up the long dirt road toward their cabin. Of course they shared the road with two other cabins farther down, but the blond looked at his team mate and frowned. “Get the feeling whoever that is might be coming our way?” 

He nodded, eyes narrowed as he watched the approaching vehicle. He pulled his gun from its holster, eyes fixed on the car. “Now what the hell do they want?” he demanded as the shadowy figures in the driver and passenger seats resolved themselves into Farfarello and Naoe Nagi. 

“Well if Mastermind was nearly killed by these guys, I’d bet they are coming to talk to us about our mutual enemy,” Yohji replied. “And since Crawford gave you our first clue as to which team we were playing for-- unwittingly-- I’d say they’re pretty sure we’re going to be receptive to anything they might have to say.” 

He glanced at the blond assassin. “Are you receptive to them?” he asked. 

Yohji shrugged, “Any port in a storm. Besides, we know they’re targets too, right?” 

“You really believe all that, 'the enemy of my enemy is my friend’ shit? My sympathies lie with the group that wants to destroy Esset or Takatori or both.” 

Yohji sighed, “No, I don’t believe all that crap but what choices do we have here? Think about it? They just tried to kill us, Aya.” He touched his chest, “And if I’d been just a bit slower, I’d be dead and you know it.” 

“So what harm is there in hearing what the Schwarz want to talk about. We can always tell them to fuck off.” He frowned, “And you’re probably only alive because Crawford warned you about your car.” 

He sighed, jade eyes full of worry, “We’ve gotten sloppy, haven’t we? We don’t even make sure our cars aren’t tampered with before we come back from a mission, and I’d bet you those guys knew that.” 

Damn it Kudoh was right, Aya realized. They had got sloppy, or arrogant which was just as potentially lethal as had been proved to them last night. Last night… something was irritating him about it but he didn’t have time to think about it now. Their uninvited guests had almost arrived. 

“Okay, we’ll listen.” 

“Something I think we should do as soon as these two are gone is go inside and hit the websites of every recording label in Japan. I know I’ve seen the red-haired guy somewhere.” 

“Omi said something about j-rock, too. I wouldn’t know any of them.” He could say no more as the car had arrived and Farfarello and Naoe were climbing out of it. “Stop right there,” he ordered, training the gun on them. 

Ken stepped out of the house, already wearing his bugnuk and jacket. He was watching the pair of Schwarz warily. 

Yohji slipped on his gloves as Farfarello grinned at them. “So distrustful, aren’t they Nagi?” 

Nagi was watching Omi who had appeared behind Ken with his crossbow loaded and primed. “They have reason to be, Farf.” A sly little smirk crossed his features as he said, “Earthlings, we come in peace. Crawford asked us to come and offer you a deal. He’d have come himself but Schuldig’s still fairly critical.” 

“Like we care,” Aya sneered. “What’s the offer?” 

Farfarello reached into the back seat and pulled the duffle out, “Crawford thought you guys could use this,” he said and dumped the pile of guns, everything from pistols to assault rifles out where the Weiss could see them. 

“There’s ammo too.” 

Ken couldn’t hide the surprise at the sight of so many weapons. 

Yohji frowned, “Why?” 

“Because we’re not dogs and Crawford doesn’t think you are either,” Farfarello replied. “Is he wrong? Do you like what you’ve learned?” 

“Of course not,” Omi said, “but joining forces with you just compounds our problems. You knowingly work for Esset!” 

Farfarello actually laughed. “We haven’t worked for them since the Elders died. We’re on every Esset and Rosenkreuz hit list that’s out there.” 

“You think that’s who this group works for?” Aya asked. 

Nagi shook his head. “No. The talented one threw us for a while but the attack on you last night proves that they don’t. Had they been Esset or Rosenkreuz you’d all be dead right now.” 

“He’s right. But the fact that they got close enough to nearly kill Schuldig means they’re as dangerous to you as Esset would be, and now that you’re on the run, it’s only a matter of time before their psychic bloodhounds are on your trail, and believe me, you stand no chance of avoiding them. You can’t hide the way we can.” 

“So what exactly are you suggesting?” Aya asked. 

Yohji shook his head, “And why should we believe you?” 

“Or trust you?” Ken added from the porch. 

Farfarello shrugged, “We know nothing we can say is going to cause you to believe or trust us. But you won’t survive without us, and Crawford thinks we won’t make it without you. And he’s never been wrong about anything.” 

“Why should we care about your survival?” Omi asked. “You didn’t care when you murdered Ouka! I will never work with you!” 

Aya held up a hand. “Wait a minute, Omi,” he said. “How long do we have to make up our minds?” he asked the two Schwarz. 

“We would need your answer before we went back,” Nagi said. “There isn’t much time or we would give you longer.” 

Yohji’s gaze met Aya’s, the expression on his face showing his own uncertainty. 

Ken muttered something only Omi could hear clearly, “I say let them go to hell.” 

Aya glanced over at Omi and Ken and motioned for them to go back inside the cabin. He nodded to Yohji to do the same before he said. “Give us ten minutes alone in the cabin. You two wait here for our answer.” 

Nagi nodded. “Okay,” he said. 

Aya shot them both a look of dislike before joining the others indoors. “We have ten minutes to decide,” he told them. 

“It stinks,” Ken replied. “I’d rather take my chances without them.” 

Yohji sighed and dropped into a chair, “Don’t hold back now Ken, tell us what you really think,” he muttered and closed his eyes. He was tired and Aya had to be pretty fried too. 

“Come on Kudoh, you can’t tell me you think it’s a good idea to join forces with them. Christ, they tried to kill us multiple times.” 

“Really? Did they Ken? Think about it. If they’d wanted us dead we’d be dead,” the blond shot at his team mate, voice full of irritation. “For fucks sakes, one of them can see the future, the other is a telepath who can jump off a third floor balcony carrying someone else and not break both legs, Farfarello nearly killed both you and Omi, and then there’s Nagi who could crush us like bugs if he chose.” 

“So you’re for us joining with them Yohji-kun?” Omi asked. “You saw them murder Ouka, they were going to take Aya’s sister last time we met them yet you think they want to be our friends?” 

“No, Omi, I don’t believe they want to be our friends either,” Aya said. “What I believe is that Crawford has seen us being of use in some way which is why they’ve never actually killed us. But like you I can’t forget the hurts they’ve inflicted on us.” 

“If they want us it’s as human shields to hide their ‘talented’ bodies behind,” Omi snapped. 

The blond sighed, “I hate to say it kid, but Ouka was a Takatori and her death was probably meant to hurt Reiji. They hated him almost as much as Aya.” 

Ken frowned. “What makes you think that?” 

“Simple. Would Aya have gotten near him if they hadn’t wanted the bastard dead?” 

“That’s as may be,” Aya said, “but Crawford and that one-eyed nutcase weren’t pissing about the night I went off to kill him alone. It was only Manx and Persia turning up when they did that saved my hide.” 

“I’m just playing Devil’s Advocate guys. I don’t like any of it either, but... if Esset does come down on us we’re going to be fucked just the four of us, and that’s a fact.” He glanced at Omi, “You’ve snooped data on Esset before, so you know exactly what I’m talking about, chibi. We’ve got no powers to protect us.” Yohji sighed, “On the other hand, I don’t like the idea of them at our back either.” 

The blond gave a slight smile, “Too bad it’s not those other guys offering us something, I’d be more inclined to take it, considering how good they’d have to be to nail that bastard German.” 

“Yeah, seriously,” Ken remarked in annoyance, “but you nearly killed him once too, Yohji. If it weren’t for the Ani coming down on our heads you’d have put an end to him then.” 

“Yeah but you and Omi would have been hurt even worse than you were,” Aya said. “It took all the strength that Kudoh and I had left to get you to shore alive, believe me.” He glanced around. “So we take our chances with Kritiker and Esset and turn them down?” 

Omi nodded, his mind made up. “I know I was born a Takatori, for all the good it ever did me, but I’ve chosen to live as Tsukiyono Omi, the name that the only _real_ Persia gave me. I won’t betray him and turn into another Takatori now.” 

Ken flexed the hand-lever of his bugnuk, “I won’t complain about not becoming canon fodder for them, that’s for sure.” 

“Works for me,” Yohji agreed as he got to his feet. “Let’s go give them our decision.” 

Aya actually smiled at his team. He still didn’t do it often but it tended to lift them all when he did. Omi grinned back at him and gave him a thumbs-up before they all trooped back outside. 

“The answer’s no,” Aya said, all traces of the smile gone. 

The brief smile made Yohji’s day, even if the rest of the day was shit, that brief smile made everything worth it. 

Farfarello shrugged, “Well Crawford said you’d refuse, but he told us to give these to you anyway. You’re going to need them.” He left the guns where they were and got into the car. “When you’re all trapped and dying remember you turned us down.” 

“They have to catch us first,” Omi said. 

Nagi gazed from one to the other of them. “I bear you no personal animosity,” he said. “We simply fought on different sides. So I will give you a word of advice. Run. And keep on running.” He climbed into the car and they drove off down the mountain. 

“You run if you want,” Aya muttered. “I prefer to stand and fight.” Yohji watched them go down the driveway with the sinking feeling that they’d just lost any chance to survive. 

“Let’s get some rest and then we can plan our next move. We might not have a chance later,” he advised. 

“Only a few hours, Kudoh,” Aya warned. “Naoe was right about one thing. We can’t stay here for long.” 

He turned, ready to go back out on watch. 

“Aya, you need to sleep. I want you to go and do that now. Please. We’re going to need you sharp,” Yohji remarked. 

“He’s right,” Ken said. “I’ll watch, everyone else sleeps.” 

“Are you sure?” Aya asked Ken. When the brunet nodded he dipped his head in acknowledgement and headed for his room on the mezzanine. 

Yohji patted Ken on the shoulder, “Stay close to the house and be careful.” 

“And you have to tell me this?” Ken asked, but he smiled. “Get some rest.” 

“You coming kid?” Yohji asked Omi as he followed Aya toward the house. 

“In a minute,” Omi said. “You go ahead, Yohji-kun.” He turned a smiling face towards Ken. “Hopefully he’ll catch up to Aya-kun and they can talk.” 

“They won’t,” Ken replied, glanced at the cabin then gave the younger man a quick kiss. “Go to bed.” 

Omi’s face fell but he took Ken’s advice after returning the kiss.


	3. Chapter 3

Schuldig’s eyes flickered open. He felt as weak as a kitten but at least the burning agony in his chest was gone now leaving behind just a dull ache that he could easily live with. 

He was angry. How had he been so foolish as to let that blond bastard get close enough to shoot him? Next time they met it would be the blond that got shot. In fact he would die. 

He attempted to sit up, half a mind to go looking right now, but found he was too weak to do more than lift his head very slightly. 

“Rest, Schuldig. You’ve got time for revenge, but you need to heal first,” Crawford said as he helped the German sit up and moved the pillows so the man would be able stay upright. 

Speaking aloud was too much like hard work at the moment so he conversed with thought. *How long?* he wanted to know. 

*Four days. But you’ll be on your feet soon,* the Oracle replied silently as he held a cup of nutritional drink to the German’s mouth. *Drink, Schu. It will help.* 

Schuldig obediently took a sip then more as he discovered just how thirsty he was. *Did I dream Heinrich was here?* He gazed up at Crawford, blue eyes full of concern. *If he was, you took a terrible risk.* 

*Yes, it was a risk. But for you I would take any risk, and you know that.* 

*Will he keep his mouth shut do you think? If he doesn’t I’ll make scrambled egg of his brain.* 

*He’ll stay quiet,* Brad replied as he sat down on the edge of the bed and brushed gently at the younger man’s hair to move it out of his eyes. *And the only thing I want from you is a promise you’ll rest.* 

*I can’t do much else right now. I’m as weak as fuck. So yeah, I’ll rest, just not sure how long for.* He smirked up at his lover before becoming serious again. *How good is this new team?* 

Brad’s face darkened, anger rising to the surface immediately. *Too fucking good. They tagged two of the Weiss, Balinese and Bombay. Could probably have taken Siberian and Fujimiya down if the kid hadn’t darted the blond.* 

*Unlike Weiss to be that careless.* A frown crossed his face. *Makes you wonder why the new kids on the block left Weiss alive though if they had the drop on them.* 

*They’ve gotten sloppy. They’re used to being the most dangerous dogs on the block, and suddenly they aren’t anymore. 

*As far as the new people go, they aren’t willing to risk their own people, I’d guess. The Weiss would have taken out the blond bastard if they were. I saw most of it, but not enough to figure out the exact details of what went on.* Brad refilled the cup from a can of drink and held it for Schuldig so the German could get more food-- such as it was-- into him. 

*What I do know is that the Weiss are fools. They turned my offer down, and because of that they are going to be between the devil and the deep blue sea. Esset is already after them, they just don’t know it yet.* 

He sighed, *We’ll be okay without their help, but it’s going to mean running from Esset for a while again. I’d hoped to avoid that but,* he shrugged, *we’ll manage.* 

*Ack, of course we will. We can run faster without those stupid Weiss idiots to slow us down too.* 

He drank some more of the liquid before letting his head fall back on the pillow, exhausted for now. *I guess I won’t be running very far or very fast just yet. Sorry Brad.* 

*Not your fault, Schuldig. I should have seen it and been able to warn you.* He pulled the covers over the younger man. *Get some rest. We’re all right for the time being. Both Esset and these trouble makers are aimed at the Weiss for the moment.* 

He smoothed the red hair down and smiled, “Sleep. I’m here and you’re safe.” 

Schuldig just about managed a smile before his eyes closed and he slept. His hand had found Crawford’s at some point and he kept hold of it. 

Crawford kissed Schuldig’s hand before he pulled his own free. He had work to do, plane flights to arrange, money to move and stocks and bonds to trade. 

After one last, lingering glance at his lover he left the room, closing the door quietly on a sleeping and alive Mastermind. 

* * * * * * * 

Aya hated motorbikes but, as Yohji had chosen to help Omi scan the web in hopes of finding some clue to the group targeting them, he had no choice. It was Ken’s bike or a twenty-five mile hike into Tokyo. He just wished the brunet would slow down a little for the corners so he wasn’t in danger of scraping both knee and ankle on the road every time the bike leaned. By the time they reached the garage he all but threw the spare helmet at Ken. 

“Thank you for half an hour of unmitigated hell,” he said through clenched teeth. 

Ken couldn’t quite hide the smirk on his face as he caught the helmet, “You’re welcome,” he replied, using the sweetest voice he could manage and still prevent himself from breaking into a gale of laughter at how rattled the red-head looked. 

Send the older man to face an army armed with nothing but a katana and he’d face them and win. Put him on the back of a motorcycle doing 70mph and he turned positively green. It was too amusing, but Ken managed not to laugh outright. He didn’t want to risk really pissing the older man off. 

Aya’s eyes narrowed at the smirk and the deceptively sweet voice but he was too relieved to be on solid ground again to be really pissed. Muttering ‘oh yeah, very funny’ he strode over to the mechanics to see if his car was ready. 

Ken took his own helmet off and looked around before he followed the red-haired man into the shop. 

As soon as Ken was inside a maroon motorcycle rolled to a slow stop across the street. The man wearing black leathers and an equally black helmet held the bike upright, motionless, without even putting a foot to the pavement to keep balance. The visor of the helmet was turned to the shop, watching. 

Aya was pleased to find his beloved car was ready to go. It meant they could pack more when they left the cabin, which helped as they had little enough to call their own since leaving the Koneko. 

He paid the bill and checked the car. All appeared to be in order, the brake line replaced and the rest of the car looking good. He nodded his thanks to Ken and climbed into the car, settling back in the seat and just enjoying having it back. 

Ken dropped some coins into the vending machine inside the shop’s customer lobby and punched a button for one of the sports drinks inside. He pulled it out of the machine and turned, screwing the cap off as he looked out of the window. 

His eyes fell on the bike across the street. It was a beauty. Polished and well kept from the look of it. 

And the guy on it... was sitting motionless and neither of his feet were on the ground. Ken stared, a blizzard of frozen ants racing along his back. 

“Aya...” 

Aya climbed out of the car and joined him at the window. He froze when he saw the figure on the bike. There was only one way they could know which garage had towed the Porsche. 

“Ken, check your bike for tracking devices.” It was way too late for that now but, if they could lose this bastard they might not lead him back to the cabin. He strode over to the Porsche and checked it out thoroughly. What he was looking for was in the wheel arch. 

Mentally berating himself for not thinking about it before he pulled out his cell phone and hit the speed dial. “Come on, Kudoh, pick up.” 

The phone rang six times without being answered then it went to voice mail. 

“Can’t come to the phone right now. So, babe, you’ll just have to leave a message and I’ll just have to call your lovely self back.” 

Aya glared at the phone as if it had just bitten him. Then he left a message. “If you want to reach old age….babe…I suggest you check that heap of scrap you drive for bugs. Get Omi to go over his bike while you’re at it.” 

He switched off the phone and gazed at Ken. “Different ways back,” he said. “Unless the bastard’s brought his friends with him.” 

“I don’t like it,” Ken bit out. “Splitting up might be what they want.” 

Aya’s phone rang. 

“Now, I wonder who that might be?” Ken asked sarcastically. 

Aya shook his head and raised the phone to his ear. “Yes?” 

“Check your phone too,” Yohji stated. “Ours were rigged with GPS tracking courtesy of our employers.” 

Aya sighed. “Fuck,” he said, “of course. We need to retire, we’ve become amateurish. And because of that one of them is sitting outside waiting for us.” 

“Yeah well we’re going to be retired permanently if we don’t get our edge back,” Yohji stated, his tone showing just how disgusted he was with their poor performance. 

Ken took a drink and considered their next course of action. He was certain the man waiting for them was the red-haired man from last night. The leathers looked the same, of course that didn’t mean much. 

“Tell me about it. If we don’t make it back, you and Omi get your asses out of the cabin.” 

“Aya I....” there was a pause, then Yohji continued in a gentler voice, “be careful, please?” 

“I’ll do my best. Give us no more than an hour to get there if we can.” He shut the phone thoughtfully then deliberately dropped it and ground his heel into it. 

“Decision time, Hidaka, alone or in convoy?” 

“Together, we can split up later if necessary.” Ken offered Aya the drink, “I wonder how good he is on that thing when it’s moving.” 

Aya took a gulp of the drink, part of him wondering if it would be the last thing he ever tasted. 

“You would be more likely to know that than I,” he said. “But we can try and give him a run for his money at least.” 

Something was nagging at him but he couldn’t put his finger on what it was. Then it hit him. The man on the bike could easily have killed all four of them and still retrieved his friend last night and yet he hadn’t. The blonde had deliberately shown himself at the station and now the man on the bike was making no attempt to hide himself. These were not the actions of a team that was determined to kill them, at least not yet. 

“They’re toying with us,” he said. “I wonder why, when they shot the German bastard outright.” 

“Think about it Aya. Have any of us ever murdered priests, nuns or half grown kids?” 

“Well I might murder Naoe if I ever got the chance but he’s not half grown anymore. And if they don’t intend to kill us what the fuck are they doing?” 

“Good question,” Ken remarked and headed for the door as he added, “I’ll just go ask him.” 

Aya stood speechless for all of half a second before he followed Ken. 

The brunet darted across the road and approached the leather clad motorcyclist, the featureless visor regarding him. 

“What do you want?” Ken asked bluntly. 

The other man shrugged, “What does anyone want out of life?” 

The ex-soccer player frowned. “You know what I mean.” 

The helmeted head tilted upward a bit, “No, sorry I don’t.” 

Aya frowned slightly as he realized he’d been right and they were being toyed with. “You’re wasting your time, Hidaka,” he said. “He’s not going to tell us anything.” He glowered at the man on the bike. “I suppose it’s too late to tell you that we’ve left Kritiker’s employ and turned down an offer from Schwarz.” 

At least his sister was safely out of this mess. If he died today he’d achieved that much. 

“If that’s true then you’ve nothing to lose by agreeing to meet with us, do you?” the man asked. 

“Meeting with you? Where and when?” To say Aya was surprised was an understatement but, if it meant he could save his team he’d meet with the devil himself. 

“The park where Ouka was killed. I’m sure you know it.” The man revved the engine of this motorcycle letting them know he was done talking. 

“Don’t bother to try to follow me.” He looked directly at Ken, “You aren’t good enough.” 

“You didn’t say when,” Aya said. And how the hell did he know Ouka’s name? 

Mellow laughter came from beneath the helmet, “I see you have to have even the clichés of the trade explained,” he remarked with a mocking shake of the head. “Midnight, when else?” 

Ken leaned in close to the man, “What is it the Christians say about pride going before a fall?” he asked, a sneer on his lips. He leaned one hand on the seat of the man’s bike. “Don’t be so damned sure I couldn’t beat you!” 

“Nice try, Hidaka. But not very subtle,” the leather clad man replied coolly as he reached back and removed the small tracking device that Ken had slipped beneath the back edge of the motorcycle’s seat. 

He flicked the tiny bug at the brunet and hit the accelerator so that the men had to move or be hit. 

When the bike had roared away Aya glanced at Ken. “Smug bastard isn’t he, but then with our recent track record he has cause to be. Let’s get back and tell the others.” He turned towards his car then thought of something. “I’ll need to call at a phone shop on the way,” he said. “I think you can go on safely without me.” 

Ken smiled at Aya, “Sure thing. You go get a new phone, I’ll just follow our smug bastard,” he agreed as he headed for his bike. “He noticed the bug I planted on his bike because I didn’t want him to notice the one I dropped in his jacket pocket.” By the time the ex-jock was done talking he was grinning. 

“If you do follow him, be careful,” Aya said but his mouth twitched up into a smile. “Well done, Ken.” 

“We’re not total schleps, at least,” Ken remarked as he put his helmet on and reached under the seat for the tracker. “I’ll follow at a safe distance. Meet you back at the cabin.” 

He hopped onto the bike, started it up, waved to Aya and raced off. 

Aya climbed into the Porsche and drove to a shop that sold cell phones before heading back to the cabin. He wasn’t exactly driving at a sedate pace but he felt a lot safer than he had on the back of Ken’s bike. He trusted Ken to stay a safe distance from the man he was following. 

There was a pile of rocks that had come down off a hillside, the stones blocking the road to the cabin. A bulldozer and a road crew were working to clear the slide but it looked as if it had just happened recently so little progress had been made. 

Aya cursed softly and flipped open the new phone. He punched in Yohji’s number, hoping he didn’t get that damned stupid message again. If he did he’d gut the blonde as soon as he could get past this fucking roadblock. 

He’d just finished dialing the last number when a man in the coverall of a highway repair crewman approached the Porsche from behind. Aya could see the man in the side mirror as he came toward the car. 

The man was wearing a hard hat and dark glasses, not unusual considering. But he had one hand down at his side, slightly behind his back. There was a second man coming up toward the car from the front. 

Aya slammed the car into reverse causing the man behind to jump out of the way. He backed down the road trying to find somewhere to turn. 

A boom up the hillside was followed by a rock fall that cut the assassin off. 

And that answered that question. The first rock fall had been as deliberate as the second, which meant that one of this team was an explosives expert. He did some mental arithmetic. Five definitely at the shop though he thought that might have been six as there had been a darker shadow further down the alleyway. And there might easily be more. 

He sighed. If they meant to kill him why arrange a meeting? He opened the door and stepped out of the car. He supposed he should be grateful that they hadn’t done it any real damage. He wasn’t though. 

The man he’d nearly hit with the car was now openly showing the high powered pistol in his hand. But he made no effort to aim it at the Weiss as he approached. 

Aya’s brows rose. “Why this?” he asked. “We’ve already agreed to a meeting.” 

The man shrugged and glanced at another person who was approaching, “Ask her. I just work here.” 

Aya turned to find the woman from the shop staring at him, a slight smile playing round her mouth. Behind her was one of the men from the same night, he of the blue hair. 

“Well?” he asked. 

“We wanted to be sure you would listen,” the woman said. “And we wanted to talk to you alone.” 

“Why?” 

She shrugged. “Well, apart from recent aberrations, Abyssinian, you’re a damned good assassin. One we could use if you were willing.” 

“Don’t call me that. I have no further ties to…Esset.” He spat the word out. 

“I’m glad to hear it as, believe me, we wouldn’t be having this conversation if we thought you did.” 

“I’m not prepared to consider any offers that don’t include the rest of my team,” Aya said coldly. 

The man who’d first spoken to him gave a cold smile, “I told him this was a waste of time.” 

“Then why bother wasting everyone’s time?” Aya said and turned to glare at him. His eyes narrowed slightly. “Last time I saw you weren’t you flat on your face in an alley?” 

“Insults and threats are school yard games. This isn’t a school yard, and you’d be dead if that was what we wanted,” the man replied, no trace of any emotion in his voice. 

“I neither insulted nor threatened you but let it pass,” Aya said equally impassive. “I even give you some credit for fighting off three of us. I just wanted to be certain of who I was talking to.” 

He turned his head to look at the woman. “I take it the man on the motorbike, the one with red in his hair, is your leader. If so he’s already spoken to me and arranged a meeting. So I ask again, why this?” 

The man gave a twitch of his shoulder, “Man tells us to talk to you, so we talk,” the blond replied. “Besides, do you honestly think we can arrange a meeting that isn’t going to be crashed by uninvited guests?” 

“If Crawford picks it up in one of his damned visions, I’d say the chances were pretty slim,” Aya agreed his eyes still on the woman. She was just Kudoh’s type and he was glad she was out here and not at the cabin. 

“Are you offering the same deal to the others?” he asked. He noticeably didn’t refer to them as Weiss anymore. 

“It’s possible,” the woman said. “I believe some of our associates may be at your cabin about now. Your other friend will probably get his chance too. You cannot beat us, Fujimiya. Not only that you’ll have Esset and Rosenkreuz on your tails by now.” 

“And those bastards play by a very deadly set of rules,” the blond replied. He went still, head tipped to one side as if he were listening to something. 

“Speaking of which, we’re going to have some company. Time to depart.” 

“Think about it, Fujimiya,” the woman said. “You can always buy a new car…” 

The blond man turned and walked away, “I’ll clear the road enough for him to get by. That was why we brought the dozer anyway,” he stated. “Might want to let boom boy know another of his toys would be useful to keep them off our asses. They’re no one we want to play with. Not right now they aren’t.” 

Aya shook his head, a slightly amused glint in his eyes. And his team thought he was cold. 

The woman shrugged and turned to the third member of their little party. “See what you can do please.” 

The smaller of the men nodded, giggled like a kid with a new toy, and hurried off. 

So that was the explosives expert, Aya was thinking. Suddenly the other team seemed a little smaller than he’d originally imagined. Whether they were people that he and his could work with was another matter. But he was beginning to wonder if they had any choice if they wanted to survive. 

The bulldozer started up with a roar, the tracked vehicle clattering and groaning forward, shoving huge chunks of rock aside as the blond drove it. 

The woman motioned towards the Porsche. “Shall we?” 

Aya nodded, unhappy but resigned. The thing that worried him the most was that today’s events had actually given him some hope for the future and that was not a good thing for an assassin to have. 

The road was quickly cleared of enough debris to allow the car to get past the rockslide. 

Aya opened the door of the car and gazed at the woman. “Let’s just say I’m interested.” 

She smiled. “You’re just lucky that the man is.” 

The blue haired man-- he was just about Omi’s height-- came running from the bushes along the side of the road. “All set!” 

“Then let’s get out of here,” the woman said. 

The blue-haired man nodded and hurried to where their bikes were, just visible beyond the pile of rocks. 

They could hear a car coming up the road, and from the sound it was moving fast. 

The blond jumped down from the dozer, “You go ahead, get down the road and wait for me. I’m going to see if I can’t make sure they die. If you aren’t here, I’ll be fine.” 

“No heroics, this time. You know what the man said.” She turned to Aya. “Get moving. We’ll deal with your visitors. Call it a gift.” 

He climbed behind the wheel and drove through the small gap the dozer had made while the woman and the blue-haired man ran for their bikes. 

The blond on the dozer watched him drive past, then sent the heavy construction vehicle lurching down the road. 

He felt a prickling down his spine as he drove past the blond, a feeling of butterflies in his gut that he hadn’t felt since he was a teenager. He frowned at his reaction. He’d nearly killed the man just a few nights before. 

What Aya didn’t see was the blond turning in his seat to watch the Porsche as it vanished around the rocks. 

* * * * * * * 

Omi did a web search on j-rock and came up with hundreds of sites. He ignored those devoted to Gackt, Dir en Grey, L’arc en Ciel and Hide as he knew all of them. Instead he went to a generic site and scrolled through the names, none of them right until he got to the bands beginning with S. 

“Yohji-kun, I think I’ve found some of them.” 

The blond yawned and put his magazine aside. He’d been unsuccessful finding any of the men he’d seen in the pages of any of the glossy rock zines he’d been scanning. 

“What have you got, chibi?” he asked as he joined the boy, bending down to look over the teen’s shoulder. 

Omi indicated the promotional shots of a band called Shadow Soul. Although their intruder and the woman weren’t there the man with the red-streaked hair was unmistakable. 

“Damn, that’s him for sure,” Yohji agreed. “No mistaking that face.” 

He turned and rummaged through the magazines until he found one with a picture of Dir en Grey on the cover. He quickly flipped pages until he found what he was looking for then handed it to Omi. 

It was a special feature poster of all four members of Shadow Soul but they were in heavy makeup, two of the men in full drag. “I was at one of their fucking concerts last year,” he snarled, obviously disgusted with himself for not remembering them sooner. 

He pointed to the smallest member of the band, one dressed as a woman with rich blue hair. “That’s the one from the car yesterday, and I’d bet this one,” he pointed to a man with long violet hair, “is the one who Ken saw with the woman.” 

Omi nodded. “Well we know what their cover is,” he said, “not that it helps us very much.” He read some of their official page but it was the usual fan-oriented blurb and gave absolutely no insight into the real people behind the stage personas. Sighing in defeat he switched the laptop off. 

“It’s actually a better cover than ours was,” he said sadly. “Nobody would suspect a visual kei band to live a double life. And the make-up makes them look different.” 

“Yeah, but look at the red-head’s eyes. Cold. Like Aya’s. I never forget eyes like that.” He pointed to the crisp picture in the magazine, “They’re so beautiful who’d ever believe they were assassins?” 

The blond smacked himself in the head. “Shit, being in a band gives them an excuse to move around. Something we as florists never had unless we took a ‘vacation’ and went away to do a mission.” 

Yohji frowned. “That’s a sobering thought too, because it might mean they’re doing more than playing music on their tours. To have that much reach they’d have to be working for a much bigger organization than Kritiker was prior to their involvement with Esset.” 

His jade eyes narrowed in thought, “So we’re targets for two big groups now. We’re really up the shit creek, Omi.” 

“Yeah, and with not a paddle between you,” said an amused voice from the doorway. 

Omi spun in his chair but the young man had deliberately positioned himself so that Yohji was between them so even if he’d had a dart it would have done him no good. 

He was joined by the violet-haired man from the photo who was carrying a pistol that was trained unerringly on Yohji. 

The first young man spoke again. He was pretty, with blue-black hair and black eyes that were twinkling merrily. “Yet knowing all this neither of you was keeping watch.” 

“Shit...” was the only thing Yohji could say. They’d been caught totally off their guard and that shocked him more than the young men would ever know, though the flicker of surprise in his jade eyes was probably a clue. 

If these guys could just walk in so easily, they deserved to die, they really did. 

He just shook his head. “At this point I don’t think we’ve even got a boat,” he replied. 

“You didn’t even lock the door,” the young man continued, “even though you’ve got the might of Esset on your tails.” He looked around him, taking in the wooden walls of the building. “Although a locked door wouldn’t do you a lot of good against a pyrokinetic, not in this place. It’s a fucking fire trap.” 

“Well thanks for letting us know. We’ll keep that in mind. Now, can we get on with this? Obviously you aren’t here to kill us, or we’d be dead.” At least he hoped that was the case. They’d certainly never taken the time to converse with their targets. Not to this extent anyway. 

The last member of their group joined them. Yohji instantly recognized him as one of the j-rockers from Shadow Soul. There was no mistaking the orange streaked hair or the fact he was as good looking as the rest of the men. 

If Yohji hadn’t been so worried about their lives, he’d have been thinking other thoughts. Erotic ones involving other hard masculine bodies. 

Right now he was thinking about what Aya was going to say to them about being caught off guard. That was if they didn’t get their heads blown off before then. 

Omi was wide-eyed but silent, his mind working overtime but coming up with no answers as to why they’d fled the city only to leave the cabin virtually unguarded. Apart from calling himself forty different kinds of fool that was. He comforted himself with the thought that if these guys were here to kill them they’d be long dead by now. 

“What exactly do you want?” he asked. 

"We've got an offer," the orange-haired man said, "though considering how easy it was to walk in on the two of you, it's a waste of time as far as I'm concerned." 

“I can see why you’d think that.” Omi said fairly. “Although you rattled us enough the other night to move us all the way out here.” 

The violet-haired man spoke up for the first time. “There’s nowhere to run to and nowhere to hide,” he said. “Esset know exactly where you are. They’ve even sent a couple of agents to cut off your pretty red-haired friend.” 

Yohji glanced at Omi wondering if the boy had caught the fact that Ken hadn't been mentioned in the Esset and Aya equation. 

If these people could be believed that would mean that the other pair of assassins had split up for some reason, and considering their earlier conversations about how splitting up would actually be more dangerous for them, it made no good sense. 

They were all making mistakes. Ones that were going to quickly become fatal if they didn't get themselves focused. 

“You’re sloppy,” the one with the blue-black hair said, “but you did take our friend down the other night and, more importantly, you did it without actually killing him. I think that might just have saved your lives.” His black gaze lighted on Omi. “And you actually bothered to look beyond the surface of your beloved Kritiker for once. Did you like what you found?” 

“Not at all,” Omi said. “In fact it was mutually agreed that we quit Kritiker.” 

“Gods you guys are rash,” violet-hair muttered. “But not so rash as to take Oracle’s offer at face value. That’s another point in your favor.” 

"You're being given a chance to live," orange-hair replied. "You can join us, or be killed." He smiled, "You've got until midnight to decide. After that, you're on your own." 

Yohji frowned. 

"And you kill us if we say no, right?" 

"Maybe. But it's far more likely that your former masters will put you down before we do. They don't like having their dogs escape. Especially since Schwarz has been such a thorn to them." 

“So you don’t work for Esset?” Omi asked. 

The dark one laughed out loud at that. “Hardly,” he said. “We’re as much their enemies as you are, maybe even more so.” His amusement disappeared as he stared at Omi. “You only get one chance, Takatori.” 

“Don’t call me that! My name’s Tsukiyono.” 

“Just as well you believe that.” 

The older blond glared at them, "He's never been one of them. He's always been Tsukiyono Omi as long as I've known him, and that's who he is." 

"We're giving him the benefit of the doubt, as it were," the orange-haired man said, "but the instant he acts like a Takatori, he's dead." 

“Anyway, you have until midnight,” violet-hair said. “No longer.” 

“How do we let you know our decision,” Omi asked. 

“Your friends will tell you,” the dark-haired one said. “The meeting has been set up. It’s up to you whether or not you turn out for it.” 

The trio of assassins backed out, leaving the pair of former Weiss staring at one another. 

They still looked dazed and confused when Aya’s car pulled up outside. Omi was the first to recover, packing up his laptop and wondering aloud where Ken might be. 

Aya strode in with a face like a bad storm and glared at both of them. “Didn’t either of you think to keep watch?” 

Yohji dropped into a chair, pulled out his smokes and lit up. "Why bother, we're pretty much dead men the way things are going." 

“Yohji-kun,” Omi admonished. He turned to face Aya. “We’ve had visitors.” 

Strangely Aya’s face cleared slightly. “Let me guess, they were making you an offer,” he said. “They trapped me between two rock falls to do the same and Ken and I ran into their leader at the garage.” 

Yohji inhaled deeply and let his breath out in a smoky sigh. "Sorry kid, but we aren't doing very well against these guys and it's irking the shit out of me. I always considered us to be good, now…" he glanced up at Aya, "I'm seeing we've overestimated our skills badly." 

Aya shrugged as he headed towards the kitchen to make himself some tea. “If it comforts you, Kudoh, Ken managed to get a tracer on their leader. That’s where he is now.” He stopped before he reached his destination, head tipped slightly to one side as he thought of something else. 

“And they can’t think we’re that bad if they’re making the offer at all,” he added before continuing on his way. 

"Maybe they're playing with us. Make an offer, tug the rug out from under us then kill us while we're too off balance to fight back. I mean what do we know about them, other than the fact that their cover is better than ours ever was, and that they're probably part of an organization much more far reaching than Kritiker ever was? Oh, and they're also the visual kei band called Shadow Soul." 

“You’re right,” Aya called from the kitchen, “it’s a much better cover and it means their organization is probably global. We’re meeting them tonight in the park where Berserker murdered Ouka, by the way. Do you honestly think we’ll go there at that time any way but on our guard?” 

There was a short silence during which the pouring of water into a cup could be heard. Aya reappeared with his tea, a slight frown on his face. “Of course, you might not wish to take up the offer. As Weiss no longer exists, I’m no longer your leader and you will make your own decisions.” 

“I think mine’s already made,” Omi said, his face wearing the sad expression that came over it whenever his relative was mentioned. “I just hope Ken-kun reaches the same conclusions that I have.” 

Yohji got up and looked out of the window. "I don't know what I'm going to do," he said, not really talking to his team mates. He was just talking out loud, trying to work out what he was going to do because he really didn't know. 

"If we try to walk away we're going to die. Together, or alone it won't matter. The way I see it we've got four options. Go back to Kritiker. Join Schwarz. Stay together and let Esset kill us, or go talk to these people and probably die anyway." 

He inhaled smoke, blew it out the window and watched it drift away. "I don't want to just lie down and die, but I don't honestly see us living much longer no matter what we do." 

“Don’t you think if these people were going to kill us they’d have done it by now?” Omi asked. “It’s not as if they haven’t had enough opportunities. And I really don’t like any of the other three options. If they want me they can have me.” 

He turned apologetic eyes on Aya. “I’m tired, Aya-kun. I think we all are. And I don’t want to kill just for political gain.” 

Aya smiled slightly. “What is it you say? ‘Never let the bad ones live’. It’s a good motto, Omi, and one that I’m not sure we’ve been living by just recently.” He took a sip of his tea, violet eyes fixed on Yohji. They were all tired, all just going through the motions, all needing a reason to continue. But the blond seemed to be at the end of his rope. 

“I’m of the same opinion that you are. And from the little I’ve learned I don’t think these guys kill indiscriminately. I might feel less… soul weary if I thought I really was taking out dark beasts.” 

Yohji snorted. "Dark beasts. Seems like we've been the very beasts we used to hunt." 

He was looking outside, wondering how the world could look so beautiful and bright while his heart felt so dead, as if there were nothing but ashes where it used to beat. 

"I think we've all known that was the case. We have gotten sloppy. Subconsciously we know what we've been doing, and we're starting to hate ourselves for it. Makes us self-destructive because we never wanted to be killers, much less ones doing the political dirty work of a man we'd gladly kill for his crimes." 

Aya didn’t say anything in reply but he nodded his agreement. He had been almost suicidal recently, so wrapped up in his own self-hatred that he hadn’t noticed it in the others. 

Until now. 

If this new team had done nothing else, they had opened his eyes to what was going on with the other members of his team under his very nose. He glanced at Omi to see the same feeling of self-loathing in their youngest’s bright blue eyes and sighed. “I’m sorry,” he said quietly. “I should have noticed long before this.” 

Omi reached across and daringly put a hand over one of Aya’s. “You had your own problems, Aya-kun,” he said soothingly. “None of us blame you for not seeing our pain when you were so lost in your own.” 

He thought back to the three men who’d visited them earlier. They seemed bright, ready to enjoy life, even happy and he wanted to be like them. 

Yohji tilted his head and listened, focusing on the faint trace of sound. He hadn't been mistaken. "Ken's back. He should be here pretty quick if he doesn't take a curve too fast and wreck again. He sounds like he's got the bike going pretty damned fast for this dirt road." 

Aya removed his hand from under Omi’s but he did nod to the young man. Omi smiled back at him but his mind was on the bike and the man riding it. 

“I wonder what, if anything, he found out,” he mused. 

“We’ll find out soon enough,” Aya said before taking another sip of his tea. 

Yohji walked into the kitchen with the remains of his cigarette and dropped the butt into an empty beer can before pulling a fresh one out of the fridge and popping the top. 

He went out on the porch to watch for Ken, the brunet arriving in a wave of dust stirred up by the passing of his bike. 

The ex-soccer player had barely brought the two-wheeler to a stop before he was off of it and removing his helmet. 

"Where's Aya?" he asked. 

Just the expression on the younger man's face told the blond volumes. "Inside," he stated and followed the younger man inside. 

Ken didn't say a word, he just went into the kitchen and pulled a beer out of the fridge-- the younger man drinking was odd enough, but to see him with a beer so early in the day was an even bigger shock. 

Yohji raised one blond eyebrow and glanced in Aya's direction. "I take it you're pissed or upset about something." 

"Both!" the younger man replied as he downed some of the beer. "That bastard led me right to Midnight Mayhem Recording Studios. And he fucking knew I was following him because he held up the transmitter before he mashed it under his boot." 

“Well he is a member of a j-rock band,” Omi said fairly, “so he probably had business there. 

Aya’s lips actually twitched as he tried to control his amusement. “Possibly, Omi,” he said, “but he could also think us stupid enough to need another clue. He wasn’t to know you’d already done your research.” He shook his head and snorted in self mocking irony. “And if they really do want us we should be flattered. They’re damned good.” 

"What are you so pissed off about?" Yohji asked the brunet. Just being made like that shouldn't have gotten the hot tempered man quite that aggravated. 

"He blew a kiss at me!" 

The blond couldn't help himself, he started to laugh. "Well there's our answer. It's not that we're good, the boss man has the hots for Ken!" It was a joke, but the younger killer's face turned bright red, his hand tightening on the can of beer enough to mash in the sides and send a cascade of foam to the floor. 

Omi chuckled and amazingly enough so did Aya, though not for quite so long. Telling the other two to shut up, he bought Ken up to speed with all that had happened to them. 

“We were just deciding what we should do when you arrived.” 

"How about saying to hell with them all and leaving Japan?" Ken suggested as he accepted a towel from Yohji to clean up the mess he'd made. 

“And go where exactly?” Aya asked coolly. 

Omi shifted unhappily. “Esset is a global organization Ken-kun. There is nowhere to run to that is safe.” 

"And what makes joining up with them any safer?" the brunet asked. 

"Numbers," Yohji replied as he popped the top on another can of beer and took a drink. "Plus how would we smuggle our weapons onto a plane, Ken?" 

“There are at least seven of them,” Omi continued Yohji’s argument. “Three came here, you chased another and three approached Aya all at around the same time. If we did join up with them that makes us a team of eleven, which means the odds of everyone’s survival is a lot better.” 

“We’re all tired and that means we’ve got sloppy,” Aya added as he finished drinking his tea. “We try going it alone and we’re dead meat.” 

Yohji was watching Aya, an odd glint in his jade gaze. "So you both think we should join with the rockers. But what I want to know is who -they- are working for. Forgive me if I'm not willing to step from the frying pan into the fire here, but... I'd really like to know what we're getting into with them." 

"Me too," Ken agreed. 

Aya nodded. “All I can say for sure is they hate Esset every bit as much as we do.” He shrugged and stood up, ready to return his tea cup to the kitchen. He took a couple of steps then stopped and turned to look at each of them in turn. “But I’m too soul weary to lead you anymore.” 

Yohji said nothing to that, he just tipped his can of beer up and drank it down before turning away and vanishing into the kitchen. 

Ken watched the blond go, his expression going grim. "Aya, there's something really wrong with him," he whispered to the older man. 

Aya nodded. “He’s just as tired as the rest of us,” he said. “I can’t make your decisions for you, Hidaka, but my mind’s made up.” 

Omi’s blue eyes went from one man to the other and he wondered if he should tell Aya Yohji’s secret. But now was not the time. “I’m going to the meeting, Ken-kun,” he said and waited to see what the man who meant everything to him would say. 

"Yeah, okay, I'll go. But I don't like not knowing who they really are. I mean as far as we know they might really be part of Esset." 

Yohji came out of the kitchen. "I'm going to go lie down for a while. I'm getting a headache." 

“Are you okay, Kudoh?” Aya asked. “Apart from the headache I mean.” 

"Yeah," was the curt reply as the blond climbed the stairs to his room. 

Aya shrugged and took his cup out to the kitchen. As he washed it up he was thinking hard. Yohji was getting worse, turning more and more to the booze to solve his problems for him. He was literally drinking himself to death and that was a problem. 

This team had held out the invitation to them but he guessed it had certain conditions and reasonably good health was a must, especially in their line of work. Yohji was anything but a poster boy for good health. He sighed, at a loss for what he could do. 

Ken joined him in the kitchen. "So who leads us now? You damned well know Yohji can't. He's coming unglued." 

“He’s not the only one,” Aya snapped. “You’re grown men, Hidaka. You shouldn’t need a fucking babysitter!” 

Ken just stood there staring at Aya for a minute. He nodded slowly, "Yeah, you're right. Forget I mentioned it." 

He walked out of the kitchen, glanced at Omi then went right out the front door. 

Omi sat motionless, like a hare caught in headlights. His family was falling apart right in front of his eyes and there was absolutely nothing he could do to stop it. Aya was like a ticking bomb, Yohji was coming apart at the seams and Ken’s temper was getting worse and worse. They were none of them…normal but, at the same time they were more abnormal than usual right now. 

Ken was standing alone on the porch wondering how to keep the two older men from totally coming apart but he was at a complete loss. 

Yohji needed Aya. Both he and Omi knew there was something eating away at the oldest man, and Ken suspected he knew what it was. He'd seen Yohji surreptitiously watching Aya for weeks, always with a pained sort of longing in his eyes. 

Ken leaned on the porch rail and sighed. He suspected he knew what Yohji's problem was, and it had no solution because the only one that could help would never offer help or give the older man so much as a thread of a lifeline. 

Aya was just too cold and aloof; too wrapped up in his own brooding misery to even notice the pain of anyone else. 

"Self-centered bastard," he muttered. 

The team was disintegrating. His family was coming apart and he couldn't do anything but watch. 

Arms wrapped round him from behind and Omi’s head was rested against his shoulder blade. The blonde sighed quietly. “We all care a great deal about each other,” he said quietly, “but we seem to be totally unable to show it.” 

He was thinking about the three men who’d come to the cabin earlier. Two of them had seemed full of good humour and optimism and the third, although quieter, hadn’t looked like he was about to fall apart at the seams. They were apparently in the same line of work yet it didn’t seem to eat at them the same way. He wondered why that was. The difference was obvious and he wished his little family could be like them. 

"I'm worried about Yohji. He's drinking so much. And Aya..." Ken gave a loud sigh, "hell I don't know what to do for either of them." 

“Give them a chance,” Omi said simply, “the chance we don’t have alone. From what Aya said, that group has been protecting us. We don’t have Kritiker’s backing anymore and we want nothing to do with Schwarz or Esset. That only leaves us one option.” 

He let go of Ken and moved to the front of him. “I want to see us as happy and well-adjusted as the guys who came to see us. I want to take this chance if it’s real.” He reached out a hand to touch Ken’s face. “We can’t do this alone, Ken-kun.” 

"But what I hate more is seeing them both coming apart. I bet if we went upstairs Yohji will be sitting on his bed with an open bottle of booze in one hand and a damned cigarette in the other. 

"And if Aya wraps more ice around what passes for his heart now he's going to freeze solid and die. 

"Watching the two of them is like watching a train wreck. You can see what's about to happen, but you can't do a damned thing to stop it." 

He wrapped his arms around Omi and rested his chin on the younger man's head. "I want to help them both, and... I don't have a fucking clue how or what to do and that leaves me short tempered and frustrated as hell and now we've got this shit with these new guys to deal with. 

"Aya's right. We're all tired and we can't keep living like this." 

“Exactly,” Omi agreed, snuggling even closer to his lover. “This is why I want to hear what these guys are offering, if anything. I don’t think they want to kill us. Let’s face it, Ken, if they wanted to kill us we’d be dead right now.” 

"What worries me is that they might simply want us as decoys or pawns in their own games. I don't think Yohji can take much more. Aya either." He kissed the top of the younger man's head, "And I thank the gods that I've got you. You're all that keeps me sane." 

Omi sighed deeply. “They can’t really treat us any worse than my so-called family already has, can they? Be honest, Ken-kun.” 

"You mean worse than Aya having a gun held to his head while Birman asks 'Are you my dog?' no, probably not." 

Omi shook his head sadly. “There was no necessity for that at all. I felt really bad for Aya-kun and it did nothing to help team dynamics.” He smiled slightly. “Then, neither did you when you fought with Aya-kun. I wanted to bang your heads together.” 

Ken shrugged, "I was staking out my territory, I guess," he admitted. "I was worried about him and Kudoh. They're both good looking and... I was afraid you'd want one of them. Of course it was all kind of fucked in the head but it took me a while to admit why I'd done it in the first place." He kissed Omi, "I hit them because I wanted to kiss you and didn't have the nerve." 

“Ken-kun…” Omi’s tone was exasperated. “You’re good looking too, you know. And it was always you that I wanted.” He scoffed softly. “I would have been dumb to develop a crush on either of them. They both still see me as little more than a kid.” 

"Yeah I guess you're right. Yohji still calls you chibi as if you're a schoolboy." 

“Yep,” Omi said cheerfully. “Aya-kun isn’t quite so disrespectful but the idea of him having a relationship with anyone is… well weird. I know he’s attractive but it’s like admiring a statue.” 

"He's so cold. Always has been. Not my type at all." He nibbled at Omi's lips, his hands running along the younger teens back until he was cupping Omi's ass in his palms. "Too bad I took the watch so they could rest. We could have eased a bit of tension, ours at least." 

Omi chuckled softly and leaned into Ken’s caresses. “Well, we can take some time for ourselves on their watch,” he said. He was quiet for several minutes, simply enjoying Ken’s closeness and breathing in his masculine scent. 

“What do you really want to do, Ken-kun?” he asked eventually. 

"What I really want is to just walk away from the killing and find a house together. I'd like to coach kid's soccer, and just live my life without adding more blood to stain my hands." 

Omi sighed. “I wish that was in the realms of possibility,” he said sadly. “If I could wave a magic wand and make it so, I would. But, because we took Kritiker at face value for too long we’ve made a lot of enemies, many of them that we don’t even recognize. I should have checked things out a lot sooner than I did. I’m sorry.” 

"It's not your fault. None of us bothered to look beyond the surface of Kritiker after your father died, and we should have. We all knew better, but it was just easier not to do anything than to think about it." 

“Yeah, the ostrich mentality,” Omi agreed. “Hindsight is always twenty-twenty isn’t it? And if we’re blaming ourselves think of how much harder it must be for Aya-kun and Yohji-kun. They’ve never had the same trust for Kritiker that we once had.” 

"I'd like to think that's what's bothering Yohji, but I don't think it is." Ken leaned back against the rail and pulled Omi even closer. "Has he said anything to you, anything at all?" 

“He’s in love with Aya-kun but won’t say anything,” Omi told him as he tried impossibly to get even closer. “He says it’s not what Aya-kun wants to hear. I’m not so sure. Aya-kun is so alone. Surely knowing Yohji-kun cares would help him.” 

"I don't know, Omi. I think Aya wants what he's got. At least that's the impression I get." He closed his eyes, rested his chin on Omi's head. "Yohji being in love with Aya explains a lot. It also explains why he won't say anything to him. I'd bet Yohji's afraid to say it. Not the kind of scared for his life sort of thing, but worried if he says anything it will only make things worse for all of us." 

“You could be right, Ken-kun, I just wish… No. You’re right; it could make things even worse. It just seems such a shame that they can’t share what we have. I mean there’s nobody else that either of them could trust.” 

"Some things in life just aren't meant to be, Omi. If I've learned anything, it's that." 

Omi lifted his head and placed a kiss on his lover’s lips. “You’re right,” he said sadly.


	4. Chapter 4

Kei pulled off his motorcycle helmet and put it on the hook near the front door. The house was unusually quiet for so early in the evening and he wondered what everyone was doing. 

Jas was probably in his room, either sleeping or playing a mindless video racing game; Hisato was probably outside in the hot tub. Tsuki on his computer-- did he ever turn the thing off? -- And knowing Akira he was out shopping. 

Kate... God alone knew what Kate was doing. Or Issei for that matter. 

"Hi kids daddy's home!" he called to see if anyone would even notice he was there. 

“We’re in the kitchen!” Kate called. “You want tea or coffee?” 

Kei sat down to pull his boots off, "Coffee. And dinner would be great. Who's cooking?" 

“Dinner’s already cooking. It’ll be ready in about half an hour,” the English beauty told him. 

"Good. I'm starving." Kei joined them in the kitchen, dropping into one of the seats and gratefully accepting the coffee. 

Hisato was sitting at the table with a handheld video game, the man focused on whatever he was playing. 

Jas was standing by the back door, looking out at the garden, and Kei could see that Aki was outside cutting a few flowers. He took a good look at Jas, and noticed that the blond's pale grey eyes looked bloodshot. Even the man's very stance showed he was tired. Kei glanced at Kate, a frown pulling at his mouth. 

"We played a game with two Essies," Jas said, voice a raw whisper. "Some pyrokinetic I haven't seen before and that thought raping bitch Thoughtwarp. They had an accident and I don't think they'll be bothering anyone for a while. I've got the whole report written. It's on your desk." 

Kate opened the oven, peered at something that smelled particularly good then shut it again and stirred a pot that was bubbling on the hob. 

“Issei also left you a report,” she said. “He wasn’t terribly impressed with Kudoh although the young one made a reasonably good impression on him.” 

"Good. I'll look them over later. 

"As far as Kudoh goes, the information that Tsuki pulled from the old Kritiker files on him said the man's got a lot of issues, most going back to why he wound up in Kritiker in the first place." He took a sip of coffee and then sat with the cup between the palms of his hands, but his gaze was on Jas. "And he was still good enough to evade Jas's katana, so he's still worth trying to salvage, even if he's only fit to be emergency back up. 

"Besides, he's not the only one that has a problem. I'd say Fujimiya is closer to going under and not coming back up than the blond is. That man is wound so tight you can hear the spring creaking." 

Kate’s brows rose and she shot Jas an enigmatic look. “He seemed calm enough when he and Jas had a pissing contest on the road,” she said snidely. “Seriously though, my own thoughts are that he’s lost the will to go on since his sister left the country.” 

Jas turned away from the door and walked out of the kitchen. 

Kei watched him go without saying a thing. When he was sure the blond was well out of earshot he said, "I want everyone to ease up on Jas. I forgot and I've been riding his ass, and that's my mistake.” 

He sighed, "It's five days until his birthday. He's going to be touchy, so let's all treat him like porcelain for a few days." 

“Shit! I forgot that,” Kate said. “But it was an interesting reaction they had to each other for all that.” She returned to her cooking as Tsuki entered the kitchen. 

“Something smells good,” he said. “How long will it be before it’s ready?” 

“As long as it takes,” Kate told him without even looking round. Tsuki stuck his tongue out at her and sat down next to Hisato. 

"So which one of us is going to brave the lion's den and take him some food?" Kei asked the Englishwoman. 

"Shit," Hisato swore softly and put the game down on the table. "Died again." 

“That’s because you’re crap at it,” Tsuki told him with a grin. 

"You, Tsuki, are a brat." Hisato looked around the kitchen, "Food ready yet?" 

"I will," Kate said. "It's partly my fault he's in this state of mind so nobody else should have to take the consequences." 

"What went on with those Essies? Or do I not want to know?" Kei asked. 

Aki blew into the kitchen, his arms loaded with roses and other flowers. "I like this house, but the one in England's still my favourite. More roses." 

“Let’s just say it was as well Aki was with us. The pyro was quite pissed off when he realized he’d missed Fujimiya.” She sighed and looked Kei straight in the eye. “Jas hasn’t said anything but I think Thoughtwarp messed with his mind before we got the better of them.” 

Aki grinned at her and said, "Boom!" 

She turned back to the stove, opened the oven and lifted out a large chicken, surrounded by roasted vegetables and set it down on the table. 

Kei's frown turned into an out and out glower of anger, "That bitch again? Those fucking Essies are damned hard to kill, but I guess that's because they've got those biokinetics to heal them." He took a sip of coffee and smiled when Aki put a sprig of jasmine in his hair. 

"Don't be so angry, Kei," the younger man said as he placed the rest of the flowers into the sink. "We'll get them eventually." 

“They’re like a freaking hydra, Aki,” Tsuki said in disgust, “you cut off one head and seven more grow in its place. Even the destruction of the elders didn’t stop them.” He frowned to himself. “And now they’ve got Kritiker, who were opposed to them, doing their dirty work too.” 

“The Elders didn’t actually pull as many strings as they liked to think they did, Tsuki,” Issei said from the doorway. “Rosenkreuz is the power behind Esset.” 

“Yeah,” Tsuki said glumly, “and they’ve been having a big recruitment drive recently. On a brighter note, the little Takatori sent an e-mail to a group called Crashers and they left Kritiker en masse as soon as they received it.” 

At the mention of the Crashers Kei's head went up. "Fool me. Tsuki, get on it and find them. Set up a meeting. We could use them too." 

Tsuki grinned. “I’ve already got their e-mail address courtesy of young Omi. Do you want me to contact them before or after dinner?” 

"Immediately. We can hold dinner while you work. I'd hate to lose the chance to pull them in. We're gong to need all the help we can get against the Essies and Rosen." 

Tsuki nodded, left the table and disappeared in the direction of his computers. 

Issei frowned slightly and turned enquiring eyes in Kei’s direction. “Who the hell are Crashers?” 

It was Kate who answered him. “They were Kritiker’s recon group, four men and one woman, although they do have explosives expertise and are quite capable of using other weapons. Fujimiya was a member about three or four years back.” 

Hisato got up and went to the fridge, "Are you sure we want to bring more people into this, Kei? I mean Weiss is going to be hard enough to retrain for our methods. I'm not sure about more people." 

"I am. Those Essies are more dangerous than anyone we've faced before." 

"Yeah, I know, but bringing in more people when we're trying to fight them is going to wreck our focus." 

"You worry too much, Hisato," Aki stated as he picked up a rose and trimmed the stem so it would fit properly in the vase he was doing the arrangement in. 

“Talking of Weiss,” Issei said, “how much are you intending to tell them tonight? I got the distinct impression that even though they’ve broken links with Kritiker; they’re going to want to know who we are.” 

Tsuki reappeared with a print out of an e-mail. “They’re prepared to meet and listen,” he said with a smile as he placed the print-out at Kei’s elbow. 

Kei sipped his coffee, expression pensive. "I haven't decided what I want to tell them. And, honestly, I'm suspecting they've done a bit of digging. They're smart, all of them, so they should have figured out at least who a few of us are." 

He smiled at Tsuki. "Good work by the way." 

“So now I get to eat?” Tsuki asked with an answering smile. 

“Yeah,” Kate said as she placed a jug of gravy on the table, “so sit down and shut up! It’ll be really nice to have another woman involved instead of having to put up with you lot!” Her green eyes were twinkling with mirth as she spoke. 

"Well you've always got Aki," Kei said and laughed. 

"Yep. Good thing too, with the lot of you idiots," he said mimicking her accent. 

"Ah, go on, Kate, you love us really," Tsuki said as he sat back down at the table. 

"Yeah, like I love dumb animals!" She put a plate of food together and placed it on a tray. "I'll take this up to Jas," she said. 

"Dumb animals?" Hisato repeated. "I'm neither dumb, nor... Okay, I am an animal..." he grinned, "in bed." 

“Not that old chestnut again,” Tsuki said as he shot the orange-haired bassist a look. 

Kei was chuckling as he said, "Remember to knock. You know how Jas gets." 

“Only too well,” Kate said as she went out of the door with the food. 

Five minutes later she was knocking on the door to Jas’ room. “Jas,” she called, “I’ve brought your dinner.” 

The door stayed closed. "Thanks, but I don't want it." 

She frowned. This year seemed worse than previous years for some reason. “I also wanted to apologize.” 

"Sure. Apology accepted. Night Kate." 

Her frown deepened. The incredible sulk didn’t even know what she was apologizing for and by the sound of it didn’t much care. Deciding she’d had enough, she turned the handle and opened the door. 

The blond was seated on his bed, minus all clothing, his sleek body clearly revealed in the last traces of sunlight streaming in through the bedroom windows. 

Jas' grey eyes narrowed, a slight tint of colour rising to his face as he grabbed for a sheet. "Do you mind?" he asked sharply. 

Kate quickly averted her eyes but not before catching a glimpse of a toned body and sleek musculature. “Oops! Sorry, Jas. I just thought I ought to remind you that we have to be in the park at midnight.” She put the tray down on a convenient table and turned her back ready to beat a hasty retreat. 

"I know about tonight Kate. And please take the food out. I've got a splitting headache and I just want it to go away. Wake me up at ten." 

“You really ought to eat,” she said quietly although she did pick up the tray again. “I’m sorry to have disturbed you.” 

"I'll be fine, Kate. I just have a headache. I got it playing brain tag with Thoughtwarp." He was watching her, but his eyes were not completely focused in the here and now. 

“Enough to give anyone a headache,” she acknowledged. “I’ll be back at ten.” She left him to it, carrying the tray out of his room, but she was frowning slightly as she went back to the kitchen. 

"I saved you some food," Aki told her. "The locusts have already gotten into it." 

Hisato and Kei both looked up from their meals. Kei frowned when he saw the tray of food. 

"I take it he's not eating?" their red-haired leader stated. 

She shook her head in answer to Kei’s question. “No and he’s looking inward, not outward,” she said before taking her place at the table. 

“Thanks Aki,” she said with a smile. 

Kei sighed and considered going up to talk to the American. "He's talking to her more all the time. I'm really starting to worry about him. Maybe all this exposure to the Essie telepaths is affecting him more than we realized." 

Hisato swallowed a mouthful of food, “He might just be coming unglued on his own too, Kei. Jas has always been wound far too tight.” 

“Well he admitted the headache he’s got came from playing ‘brain tag’ with Thoughtwarp,” Kate said as she sat down to eat her own food. “Didn’t Weiss go up against the Elders? I wonder how they did that without talent.” 

“Luck,” Issei suggested. 

“Very tight mental focus can be a bit of a protection,” Kei replied. “I know Thoughtwarp tried to invade my mind the first time we encountered her. It gave me a headache, but I didn't submit to her desires.” He gave a slight smile, “I think it irritated her that she couldn't make me shoot Jas.” 

“I’ll give Abyssinian the tight mental focus bit,” Kate said, “and perhaps Siberian and Bombay but Balinese?” 

Issei shrugged. “He seemed focused enough the other night.” 

Tsuki glanced up then and ventured a remark. “He’s got a sharp mind for all his faults.” 

“Don't underestimate Weiss,” Kei warned. “Now that the pressure is on, you can bet they're going to get focused and be razor-edge sharp tonight. If I didn't think they were worth our time do you think we'd be doing anything but blowing their pretty little heads off from a neat and safe distance?” 

* * * * * * * 

Aya parked the Porsche a few blocks away from Ueno Park. He made sure it was locked up as tight as possible before heading for the dark area of the park. Then he shook his head at his own stupidity. If this other team were going to kill them they’d have done it by now, unless tonight was planned to get all four of them in one place at one time. It was a conundrum he was far from solving so, as he needed the answer, he was here against his better judgment. 

He glanced at his watch and walked at a steady and unhurried pace towards the park the rest of Weiss following him silently. 

They reached the spot where Ouka had died and waited in what cover there was just as a distant clock chimed the hour. 

A shadow separated itself from the deeper shadows under the trees as the leather clad man with the red dyed hair approached the four Weiss. 

He seemed to be alone, but Yohji didn't think that was the case. He could feel eyes on him from the darkness and he was sure he caught the dim glint of a streetlight on metal in one of the shadows. His mind identified the metal as being gun shaped and he made a subtle motion that indicated to Aya what he'd seen. 

Ken was scanning the shadows too, looking for any unseen assailants, sure that he'd spotted at least three others, but worried that his eyes could also be playing tricks on him because it was so dark here. 

Aya signalled with equally subtle movements that for now they were to wait and see despite armed others being present. He stepped forward to meet the other man, his face a blank and impassive mask. 

Behind him, Omi held a dart in his palm, ready to throw it at the slightest sign of hostile movement from those he knew were lurking in the shadows. 

“You can call me Darkness. Let's get down to business,” the leader of the other assassin group said as he came to a stop a few feet from Abyssinian. 

Yohji forced himself not to snort at the overly dramatic name the man had for himself while Ken watched one of the other shapes detach itself from the shadows and walk slowly forward. He recognized the blond they'd fought with before. 

“This is my associate, Silence, and that,” the man said indicating the woman who was joining them “is Shadow.” 

Aya nodded in acknowledgement of what were obviously codenames. “We seem to need no introductions,” he said. “You obviously know exactly who and what we are…or were. We’re only here because we have no known reason to fight with any of you and want to know what you want from us.” 

“We want to know what you intend to do now that you've slipped your leash and run. You have to know that Kritiker won't let you walk away, and Esset isn't going to take your loss easily, especially not when they were planning to pit you against their other rogue team, Schwarz,” Darkness stated. 

Aya frowned, wondering how much of that Crawford had seen before he sent Naoe and the mad Irishman to them. Aloud he said, “We’re in the uncomfortable position of having to run and keep on running. We won’t work for either Esset or the Takatori.” He glanced at Omi. “That decision is unanimous. We know we’ve probably signed our own death warrants but we won’t go down without a fight.” 

Darkness offered the Weiss a faint smile. “Well you've been informed of my proposition, but now I'll let you hear it directly from me. I'm offering an alternative. You can join with us or you can start running. But I think we all know you won't get far, don't we?” 

Aya’s frown deepened. “Why would you want us to join with you? I’m damned sure we haven’t made the greatest impression on you.” 

“I think we both know why your performance of late has been... less than stunning don't we. You realized there was a change in the agenda of Kritiker, but had no solid idea what it was until you were told. Is that wrong?” 

Omi spoke up then, knowing that Aya wouldn’t answer that particular question. “I should have looked before I did,” he said with an air of deep chagrin. “I don’t know why I didn’t.” 

Aya turned to stare at his youngest team mate. “Possibly because Mastermind or someone like him prevented it,” he suggested. 

“Not Mastermind. We've finally confirmed that Schwarz have gone rogue and are strictly working on self preservation. No, most likely you encountered the same telepath we've been fighting with. Her name was Thoughtwarp and I'm pleased to say she won't be troubling anyone after today thanks to Silence and a bulldozer.” 

“Schwarz made us an offer yesterday,” Aya said. “We turned them down even though we knew it was almost certain death to go it alone.” If this man was for real he was owed complete honesty. 

The man called Darkness exchanged a look with Silence and Shadow before he spoke again, “We believe that Schwarz is becoming desperate. The odds are against them, and they know it, you can be certain. I'm sure Crawford is becoming frantic as he knows he's between two forces both of whom are set on the deaths of his team.” 

Darkness crossed his arms and tipped his head at the other assassin team. “But we didn't come here to talk about Schwarz, we came here to discuss your future, or lack of one.” 

“So we join you or you kill us, is that it?” Ken asked his voice a bit belligerent. 

Yohji put his hand out and touched Ken's shoulder, urging the younger man to stay calm and let Aya handle things. Even though the man said he wasn't leading them anymore, he'd automatically taken the leader's role and Yohji didn't want Ken to do or say anything that might remind the red-head he'd said he wasn't going to lead them anymore. 

Aya showed no sign of having heard Ken’s interruption instead he was gazing at the man who called himself Darkness. “We would want to know your allegiances,” he said firmly. “We may be killers but there are still a few things that we will not do. Idealistic…probably, but if you people kill the weak or the innocent, for want of a better word, then there is no deal…whatever the outcome.” 

“Actually our business is to get rid of people like your former masters, both Esset and Takatori alike.” The man's gaze went pointedly to Omi, “So, you'll understand if we're a bit... reluctant... to easily accept the presence of one of your team as his own allegiances are somewhat suspect.” 

Omi swallowed hard. These people weren’t to know just how much he hated his family. 

Aya’s eyes narrowed slightly. “If you know so much about us you should know that one of the Takatori died at his hands. He’s chosen to live as Tsukiyono Omi rather than Takatori Mamoru. And if I can accept that, then you should be able to.” 

Darkness gave Aya a wry smile, “For you, it was the loss of your parents. But my family's hatred with the Takatori is a much older and deeper one. Of course it is also one that Tsukiyono Omi is unaware of, so I will offer him the same thing I'm offering the rest of you. 

“And while I'm sure you'd like more time to decide, time is the one thing you have very little of as Esset, and more to the point, Rosenkreuz, have mobilized to bring you to heel.” 

“They consider us that important or that unimportant?” There was wry humor in Aya’s eyes although his face remained impassive. “How long are you giving us to decide?” 

“They need you and failing to get you back, they will not hesitate to utterly destroy the four of you. What you don't seem to comprehend is that they will try and take you alive for re-education meaning they'll take you alive and brainwash you into believing whatever you need to think in order to carry out your missions with your former alacrity. 

“As far as deciding, you have as long as you like, or until one of the Rosenkreuz teams captures you to decide. But we won't come to rescue you should they take you, and we won't let you live should we see you after today.” 

“So you want a decision right now.” He glanced at the other members of what had once been Weiss. He couldn’t decide for them. As for himself, his mind was made up. There was something about the other man that he instinctively trusted and that in itself was unusual. He wasn’t trusting by nature. It would also be a relief to hand over leadership responsibility to another. 

Omi spoke up again. “I don’t think we would be here at all if we weren’t already interested,” he said. 

Yohji sighed, “I'm in too. I've got nowhere else to go.” 

“Neither do I,” Ken agreed. 

Darkness nodded. “Then you're going to agree to join us. Good decision.” 

Silence spun around, “Company. A couple of Kritiker operatives have arrived. They've found Abyssinian's car, so they must be looking for Weiss.” 

Aya’s face reflected the first real emotion he’d shown since climbing out of that same car, sheer fury. “Damn them,” he said quietly but angrily. 

“If they’ve sent talents we could be in real trouble,” Omi said in a hushed tone. He glanced at the assembled company. “All of us.” 

The red-haired man was watching his blond companion. "Well?" 

"No, these are Kritiker agents." The blond's gaze was unfocused, his attention elsewhere. "Two women. One of them is wearing pink. The other has red hair." Silence blinked, his gaze sharpening as he looked at the Weiss. 

"They know all four of you are here." 

“Manx and Birman,” Omi breathed before frowning slightly. “Do you think they’re Esset agents as well as Kritiker operatives?” It was obvious the thought did not sit well with him. His frown deepened as he stared at the blond. “How do you know all this?” 

Aya was also staring at the man called Silence as if waiting for an answer. He knew he wasn’t likely to get one but he was intrigued to put it mildly. This power, whatever it was, didn’t seem like telepathy as he knew it through Mastermind and yet it wasn’t like Oracle’s visions either. He was at a loss to know what to make of it. 

"No, they aren't part of Esset or I'd be off shooting them already. I don't think they're here to harm any of you." the blond replied, ignoring the boy's other question. 

It was Darkness that answered Omi, "Silence has his own abilities, but he's not and never has been part of Esset." The man smiled, but it wasn't a pleasant expression. "They can't catch him though they have made the occasional effort." 

"They're getting tired of losing people," the blond man stated softly then quirked an eyebrow at his leader. 

"Time for us to go. We'll be in touch," Darkness told them as he turned and headed into the night. 

Yohji watched the men and woman vanish into the night. "Now those are some damn creepy people. Almost as bad as Schwarz." 

"Yeah, no shit," Ken agreed. 

Aya nodded and turned to Omi. "Is this exactly where Ouka died?" he asked very quietly. The young blonde nodded sadly. "Then that's our reason for being here if we need one." 

A light footstep warned him that they were no longer alone and he turned to face the women that he wondered if he knew at all. 

Manx, with Birman right behind her, came out of the night. 

"Thank god we found you. We saw the mess at the Koneko and we were worried. What happened? Where have you been all day?" 

“We’ve been at the cabin,” Omi told his surrogate mother. “The shop didn’t seem too secure, you know.” He glanced at Aya uncertainly. 

Aya had the same predicament as the youngest Weiss. How much did the women know about the changes in Kritiker and would they believe them even if they sought to enlighten them? And should they even make the effort? He was at a loss for once. 

Manx exchanged a look with Birman. "Crashers have gone missing," the dark-haired woman told them. "We think Esset has taken control of Kritiker, but we've got no proof. We're all in danger." 

The red-head reached into her purse and pulled out a wad of money. "Go into hiding. Run. And don't look back," she said as she offered the cash to Omi. 

Omi shook his head and refused to take the money. “We have enough,” he said, “and you need to get into hiding too. I hacked into Kritiker and discovered that my…that old man Takatori has climbed into bed with Esset.” 

The thought of his old team having the sense to make themselves as safe as they could heartened Aya almost as much as the discovery that neither Manx nor Birman were involved with Esset. “What will you do?” he asked. 

"We're going to make a run for it," Birman replied. 

"Take the money. They can trace you by your bank card use, and they might freeze your accounts to draw you into the open," Manx warned. 

"And they know your cars, especially yours Kudoh. You've got the only Super Seven in Tokyo." 

Reluctantly Omi reached for the cash. “You have enough for your own escape?” he asked. 

Manx nodded and smiled at him although her green eyes were bright with unshed tears. “We cleared our accounts. Stay safe, little Omi.” She hugged him to her fiercely and Aya had to look away as he felt a hard lump of pure agony in his own throat. Takatori Saijou’s stupidity had forced so many good people to take a huge leap into the unknown. 

"Be safe," Yohji told the women. 

Ken was scanning the night, wondering how the other team had vanished so quickly. Frankly they gave him the creeps almost as bad as Schwarz did. 

“You too, Kudoh,” Manx said, “And get rid of Seven. I know it’s a wrench but it’s one that might just save your life.” She turned away then and Birman went with her. 

Aya watched them leave in silence. 

"We need to get out of here," Yohji stated quietly. "I'll get my stuff out of Seven. We can use your Porsche until we can find another car." 

He was going to hate losing the car, but if it was that, or lose his life or endanger the rest of his family, the car could go. 

Aya nodded. They could only use his car for a short while; it was almost as noticeable as Kudoh’s beloved Seven. Luckily Ken and Omi could keep their bikes. They were neither custom models nor uncommon. “Let’s go,” he said. 

Omi was crying silently as he watched the women go but hearing Yohji and Aya speak he swallowed hard and followed them although one small hand found Ken’s in the dark. 

Ken leaned down and whispered, "Love you," in the younger killer's ear as they followed Aya and Yohji. 

* * * * * * * 

Brad was sitting in the living room, rubbing his temples, fighting one of the worse headaches he'd had in months and trying to maintain an outward front of calm. 

But he didn't feel calm. He felt like an animal that knew it was being driven into a trap. One that had no other outcome but death. 

All his work, every effort, the fight to bring the Elders down and keep his team alive was going to be for nothing. 

Weiss was going to join the DSS leaving them alone in their fight with Esset and Rosenkreuz. 

And alone they stood very little chance of survival. 

Even if they got their revenge against the other killers, against the man who'd nearly taken Schuldig's life, it would do them no good. 

Not without Weiss. 

He felt sick, helpless, and the ache in his head made it hard to think. 

There had to be a way out, if only he could see it. 

Nagi slid into the room like a ghost and placed a cup of tea at his leader’s elbow before turning to leave again. He knew better than to disturb his leader at a time like this. 

"Nagi?" 

The young man turned, brows raised in query as he said, “Yes?” 

"I don't want all this to be for nothing. Promise me that if we're caught by Rosenkreuz you'll run and not look back." 

“Rosenkreuz don’t know what I’m capable of,” Nagi said. “I’ve always deliberately kept my skills damped down when with any of their or Esset’s agents. But, I promise you, if it looks like the end, I’ll run. After I’ve buried the bastards.” 

"We don't have much time left, Nagi," Brad's voice was hollow, almost dead sounding. "Four or five days at the most, then..." he closed his eyes and shook his head. "We're good, but not good enough to survive what's coming for us this time, and running won't help." 

He looked at his hands, then glanced up at the boy, "Don't tell them. I don't want Schuldig or Farfarello to know." 

“I understand,” Nagi said in his stoic way. “It was perhaps a pity that you allowed Schuldig and Farf to toy with Weiss as much as you did. If it hadn’t been for their games Weiss might have joined us.” 

"I know. It was a mistake we're going to pay for, I just don't want you to pay for it too." 

“Would mundanes such as Weiss really have given us any edge over the combined might of our former masters?” Nagi asked. 

Brad met Nagi's gaze squarely, "Ask yourself this, Nagi. How did they hold their own against the might of the Elders? Do you really think they're totally mundane?" the American replied. "Would Esset want them if they were?" 

Nagi thought about that and back to the fight with the Elders. He frowned slightly. “They may have held their own against the Elders,” he said, “but they didn’t do terribly well against us in the fight for Aya’s sister.” He took a deep breath, knowing that Crawford would not like what he had to say next. “Schuldig is our Achilles heel. First Kudoh almost kills him, then the DSS blond.” 

"I know," Brad replied. "And if we left him, just walked away, we'd probably survive, but I won't do that. Farfarello can go with you if he wants, but... I won't leave Schu." 

Nagi nodded. “I know,” he said, “anymore than I’d leave Farf. So we’re just going to have to do this together aren’t we?” 

Crawford just nodded, picked up the tea and took a sip. "Yes." 

Nagi gave him one of his rare smiles. “Then I don’t want to hear anymore about running away. I’ll fight to the end to stay free.” 

Crawford hid the pain he felt as the future shifted to show him a brief glimpse of the destruction of his team. And this time, even Nagi was dead. 

* * * * * * * 

Tsuki couldn’t settle. The computers were monitoring both Weiss and Schwarz but, as Weiss were presumably in the park and the Schwarz freak hadn’t logged on tonight he had nothing to do but worry about the four of his team who had gone to the park. 

Leaving the computers to do their thing on their own, he wandered downstairs and into the kitchen, hoping there would be somebody else around. 

Aki was unloading the dishwasher when Tsuki walked in. The blue haired explosives expert offered him a slight smile. "I wonder what's taking so long." 

Tsuki returned the smile but it quickly died. “You think they’re taking a long time too?” 

"Yes." Aki glanced out at the night wrapped garden. "Much too long. It's after two; I expected them to be here by now." 

Tsuki picked up a tea towel and started fiddling with it, constantly pleating and unpleating it again in his agitation. “Do you think they’ll be okay?” he asked, his black eyes intent. 

"Jas won't let anything happen to them, don't worry," Aki said, doing his best to sound convincing, but the truth was he didn't always trust Jas and his ghost-sister to keep the team safe. 

“You sound about as certain as I feel,” Tsuki said with a slight snap in his voice. It wasn’t directed at Aki though. It was simply his own fears manifesting themselves. 

The youngest member of Shadow Soul just turned a glare on Tsuki, "I don't know what you're worried about. It's not like you really care about them." 

“What?” Tsuki was really surprised that Aki should think that. “Why wouldn’t I care?” 

"You haven't been with us that long, so why should you?" 

“What has time got to do with feelings?” 

Aki just stared at him for a moment. "Well then you tell me, why would you have any attachments to us?" 

Tsuki reddened uncomfortably. “It doesn’t matter. Believe what you like. I’ll go back upstairs out of everybody’s way. I’m sure you’d all prefer that.” 

"I'm sorry..." Aki glanced out of the sliding glass doors hoping for headlights but not seeing any. "I get bitchy when I'm scared." 

Tsuki sighed. “Hisato is interested but, although I like him, I’m not. Not only because of my past but because... Ah forget it. I’m a fool anyway.” 

"If you're talking about wanting Kei, then yes, you are. He's never shown any interest in anyone that way. At least not inside the team. Oh, he teases Kate or Jas sometimes, but that's all it is." 

Tsuki flushed again. “Damn! Is it that fucking obvious?” 

"To a few of us, yes. Hisato was the first to notice. Nothing gets past him, at least nothing sexual. And he mentioned it to well... I guess all of us." 

He wanted to crawl into a corner and die quietly and preferably alone. He felt the heat suffuse his face and he hid it behind his hands, their black-painted nails digging into his scalp. “Oh…shit,” he whispered. 

"I wouldn't worry too much really. No one pays much attention to him about those kinds of things, and well..." Aki looked a little embarrassed as he hesitated, then added, "Kei just gave him an odd little smile and told Hisato to stop harassing you. Not that it means much, Hisato never listens to Kei, at least not about that." 

“It’s not his teasing that bothers me,” Tsuki managed to say after peering over his hands at Aki. “It’s the fact that he chose to share his assumptions with the whole damned team!” But the smaller man’s words had given him a tiny ray of hope amongst the sheer discomfiture of knowing that Kei knew. 

Aki eyed the team's hacker, his stare measuring. "So tell me, was he wrong?" 

“I think my reaction should have told you that he wasn’t,” Tsuki said with a wry smile. “But you said it yourself, I’m just a fool.” 

The blue-haired man was scrutinizing the hacker as he said, "I also told you I get bitchy when I'm scared or worried, and right now I'm very much both scared and worried. They really should have been back already." 

He sighed, "And as far as you not being attracted to Kei goes, I'm not convinced because I've seen how you watch him." 

Tsuki shook his head at how obvious he’d apparently been. He’d always thought he’d watched Kei when nobody else was looking. He sighed as Aki’s worry transferred itself back to him and he glanced up at the kitchen clock. It was nearly two-fifteen and still no sign of any of them. 

He took a deep breath. “Okay, I’m going to make some coffee and tea. They’ll probably want a warm drink when they get here.” 

"Tea for Kei, Jas will probably go straight to bed, or want a shot of something a lot stronger than either tea or coffee." 

Tsuki smiled at the blue-haired man. “Okay, tea for Kei and what about Kate and Hisato, if I decide not to feed him rat poison that is?” 

"With those two you never know. Hisato might drink tea or coffee, or he might decide he wants something like fruit juice or a beer. I never try to guess what he'll want." 

Aki glanced at the clock, and then walked to the kitchen table, dropping into the chair. "Where are they?" he asked, the pallor of his face showing how worried he was getting. 

“Are Weiss really that good?” Tsuki asked, more to take Aki’s mind off his worry than any real desire to know. 

"Kei thinks so, and that's all that really matters." He couldn't sit still so he got up and walked to the back doors but there was still no sign of headlights coming up the driveway. 

It was Tsuki’s turn to glance up at the clock but only two minutes had passed since last time he’d checked. Deciding that he needed to do something other than worry himself sick he filled the kettle with water and set it on to boil. The distant sound of powerful engines made him look up and stare out of the window. 

"It's them!" Aki said relief in his tone as he opened the back door and stepped outside. 

Silently thanking every deity he could think of, Tsuki carried on with his tea making. Outwardly calm, his heart was thumping as loudly as Aki’s base drum. 

Jas was the first one into the driveway, the blond already coming inside before the others were more than bright lights on the street. 

Aki watched the older man go striding past without so much as a word. He frowned but kept his mouth shut, able to tell what sort of mood the man was in by the closed expression on his face and the iciness of his grey eyes. 

Tsuki watched Jas storm through the kitchen, his black eyes concerned. Silence was never very communicative but tonight he looked positively forbidding. It did not bode well. 

Kate was next through the door and she didn’t look nearly as grim. She even went so far as to hug Aki. “You shouldn’t have waited up.” Then her eyes fell on Tsuki and the teapot. “Is that tea? You’re an angel!” 

Aki offered her a shy smile and blushed at the hug she gave him. "Is everything all right, Kate-san?" he asked her softly, not wanting Jas to hear them. 

Hisato was the next one up the driveway, but instead of coming inside he crouched down by his bike to check a tire. 

Aki frowned. "Something must have happened. Hisato is checking out one of his wheels." 

Kei was the last one up the driveway, his bike barely stopped before he was getting off of it, wrenching his helmet off and stalking toward the house. Dark or not, Aki could see the tension of barely controlled anger in the man's posture. 

Kate grimaced slightly and got well out of Kei’s way. “As far as Weiss is concerned, yes, it went well,” she told Aki. “As for the rest…” She threw her hands palm up in a gesture of minor irritation. “…ask one of them!” 

She moved across the kitchen like a stalking cat and took the cup of tea that Tsuki held out to her. “Thanks,” she said. 

The guitarist stalked past but they all heard the door to the entertainment room slam, which was followed immediately by the sound of two men snarling at one another in anger. 

"They're going to fight," Aki said dismally as he dropped into a kitchen chair. 

“Looks that way,” Tsuki agreed with a slight grimace. 

“They’re both behaving like fucking children!” Kate said succinctly. She frowned slightly as she sipped at her tea. “If I didn’t know better I’d say Jas had something against Abyssinian.” 

Hisato came inside, heard the voices and shook his head. "Something is definitely not right with Jas. I mean, besides the usual pair of meltdowns he goes through every year." He got some coffee and joined the others at the table. "Ever since he had his run in with Weiss the other night he's been acting really weird, even for him." 

Aki frowned, "It's like he wants Kei to hurt him." 

“I still say it has something to do with Abyssinian,” Kate said. “A woman’s intuition is never wrong.” Her bright green eyes were raised to take in all their faces in turn. They came to rest on Aki. “You were there when they had that little pissing contest on the road, Aki. Am I wrong in thinking there was something else going on?” 

Her head turned slightly and she smiled sweetly at Tsuki. “You’d have noticed it.” 

Tsuki sighed, resigned now to everyone knowing his feelings thanks to Hisato’s big mouth. 

Aki looked from Kate to Tsuki, then he frowned, "You're right. He kept watching Abyssinian." The blue-haired man's eyebrows pulled closer together as he thought about how Jas had behaved. 

"So what do you think is bugging him?" Hisato asked as he took a sip of the coffee. "You've got to admit Jas is weird on a good day." 

“Jas isn’t weird,” Kate said. “Just because he’s not driven by his hormones like you are…” she stopped, frowning. “Okay, Jas notwithstanding, Kei wants Weiss. How do you guys feel about that?” 

Tsuki shrugged. “As long as the little one stays away from my computers I’m not too bothered either way.” 

"I'm not sure about it honestly," Hisato said as he left the table to find something to eat. "It's not that I don't think they're good enough, but we already have a good team, why change a good thing?" 

"Kei wants them," Aki stated, "and what Kei wants..." he shrugged. 

Issei had wandered into the kitchen as they’d been talking and now added his two cents worth. “We’re a good team but so are they. We deliberately went to their cabin when Balinese and Bombay were alone and they immediately presented a united front when presented with us. I admired that.” 

Kate nodded slowly. “Yes they’re very much a team. They proved that again in the park.” She put her teacup down and sat back in her chair. “I actually find myself liking them.” 

"Don't get me wrong here, I don't dislike them, I just think that having them with us is going to add more stress especially where Jas is concerned. He's part of our team and has been for a while now, and if having Weiss is going to affect him this much, I say we don't need them," Hisato said as he searched for something he wanted to eat. 

“Well, whether we need them or no, the deed is done,” Kate said with a shrug. “You and Jas will just have to put up with them.” 

The sound of raised voices finally came to an end and everyone in the kitchen went still, waiting… perhaps wanting to escape the aftermath, perhaps worried about the damage that might have been done… whatever their thoughts were, they kept them to themselves. 

Kate glanced round at them all. Issei seemed undisturbed, Aki nervous, Tsuki tense, and Hisato resumed his scavenger hunt for food. 

The sound of someone running up the stairs was soon followed by Kei joining them in the kitchen. His face had the look of a typhoon, like a dark raging storm filled him. 

He said not a word as he got a cup of tea and then walked to the sliding doors where he stood looking into the night and their peaceful garden sipping his tea. 

Aki looked at Kate as Hisato joined them at the table with a single serving container of mixed fruit. 

Kate shook her head in warning. Now was not a good time to ask questions or make comments. By asking their opinions she had taken on the responsibility of passing them on if the need should arise, but she would keep quiet until asked. 

Aki sighed and slumped in his seat, his delicate features showing his unhappiness. Something was going on between Kei and Jas, and whatever it was wasn't good. 

Hisato chewed fruit and watched Kei's back, keeping quiet. If Kei wanted to talk, he would, but Hisato knew that was a big if. Fighting with Jas always left Kei fuming and frustrated and it was just not a good idea to bother him. 

Kate was pretty sure she knew what Jas’s problem was. It could be summed up in one attractive, streamlined package – the Weiss redhead. And, if she was any judge, the confusion was mutual. 

Issei sighed quietly and turned to leave the kitchen. If Kei wasn’t going to talk to them, there was no point in staying up any longer. 

“I'd appreciate it if everyone would keep an eye on Jas. He's depressed because it's that time of year again, but he's worse than I've ever seen him and...” he turned to face them, his face showing the pain and worry he was feeling, along with the frustration, “I'm worried about him.” 

“I’m sure you noticed the same uptight syndrome in the Weiss redhead,” Kate said quietly, “and I think he might just be part of the problem. Jas and he were very odd around each other on that mountain road. So much so that I’d be willing to bet there’s a mutual attraction there.” 

Kei's eyebrows looked as if they were trying to merge with his hairline. “Really?” he asked, incredulous. He joined them at the table, “So tell me what you saw, Kate. You're good at reading Jas. What did he do?” 

“After a preliminary exchange of insults, he very carefully tried to refrain from talking to the redhead at all,” Kate said. “Then, after he cleared the road, he was staring at Abyssinian as he drove past. And the Weiss man actually turned to take a second look at him.” 

She smiled. “It was like watching fire trapped within ice with both of them.” 

Kei glanced into his tea, thoughtfully. “Well that would explain Jas' resistance to the idea of Weiss joining us. If he is attracted he won't know how to act or what to do or say.” He sipped some of the tea, and then looked up at Kate, “Jas isn't comfortable with strangers to start with, and sexual attraction isn't something he's ever felt to my knowledge. I think we're all in for a rough time of it until he either gets over or gives in to the attraction.” 

Hisato smirked, “This could be fun.” 

Kei shot a hard glance at the other man, “Don't even think about teasing him. Not if you want to keep breathing. He's touchy as a feral cat right now and I don't want to hear you bitching when he knocks your teeth out.” 

“So we should make sure he doesn't hurt himself or something, but otherwise just let him alone?” Aki asked. 

“Yes. Now let's get some sleep,” Kei replied as he finished his drink and took the cup to the sink.


	5. Chapter 5

## Chapter 5

Aya drove the others back to the cabin his mood bleak. Not only did he have to get rid of his beloved Porsche, but he would have to rely on Ken and the back of his bike to get him back after up the mountain afterwards. Even then they wouldn’t be able to stay there after tonight. So that meant another hair-raising trip to pick up an unremarkable car. 

“Is everyone packed and ready to go at the drop of a hat?” he asked. 

“Yes, Aya-kun,” Omi said quietly from the back seat. “I’m sorry things turned out this way.” 

Yohji just nodded. He wasn't at all pleased with the idea of ditching his precious Seven, but he understood the need all too well. He had the only one in Tokyo, so it stood out far too much and would be much too easy for Kritiker to trace. 

“Yep,” was Ken's answer. He sucked down half a bottle of sports drink then frowned, “Maybe Yohji should ride with me this time.” 

“That might be better.” Aya was doubly relieved. Not only could he avoid the back of Ken’s bike but he wouldn’t actually have to dump his car. Yohji would do it for him. He glanced at the blonde. “Dump it the other side of Tokyo from… yours.” He didn’t want to upset Yohji even further by using the car’s pet name. 

“Yeah, sure Aya,” the blond answered, voice flat as he turned to leave. “Don't forget to get some groceries. I'll handle finding us a new car; I've got money and an identity even Kritiker doesn't know about.” 

“How long do you think before they get in touch?” Omi asked. 

“I doubt if they’ll leave it much beyond noon,” Aya said. “But we’ll have to be out of here by then.” 

“I'd better go and catch up with Yohji. I'll see you guys later,' Ken said as he tossed the empty drink bottle into the trash and hurried out after Yohji. 

Aya wasn’t terribly impressed with the blue Toyota but it did have the advantage of anonymity. They drove aimlessly around Tokyo for a while before deciding to go back to Ueno Park where they had been approached. Although the others seemed certain they would be approached, he wasn’t as sure. 

The leader had impressed and seemed competent. The woman also. But the blonde… 

He shook his head as they walked through the park. 

A figure dressed all in black leather slipped out of the trees and shrubs to reveal the leader of the other team of killers. Kei stood there waiting as the four Weiss approached, just able to see Jas where he waited high in a nearby tree, ready to handle anything that might be forthcoming from the Weiss. Or Schwarz if they arrived on the scene. 

The blond seemed perfectly calm, but there was a tenseness about him that left Kei more concerned about the emotionally volatile man than he'd been in a long time. 

Aya glanced up at the man in the tree then swiftly looked away, wondering at the effect the blonde had on him. He didn’t have the time or the inclination for anymore than purely business or platonic relationships yet the very sight of the man had gone straight to his groin. 

“The cars have been dumped, the registration plates on the bikes changed and everything that matters to us is in a blue Toyota parked a block away,” he said to the figure in black. 

“So you're certain this is what you want?” Kei questioned. “Once you've accepted there's no turning back, you become part of our team subject to my rules.” 

Aya’s cold violet eyes gazed back at him. “We are used to this life,” he said simply, “Omi was raised to it and the rest of us could do nothing else now. So yes, we’re certain.” 

Kei nodded and stepped forward, handing the Weiss a slip of paper. “This is the address of your first safe house with us. Go there, and stay indoors. I'll be by later and we can have a longer talk about what you'll be doing with us for the next six months.” 

Yohji regarded the red-haired rocker, “Aren't you worried Kritiker will follow us there?” 

Kei shook his head, a cool smile curling his mouth. “No, Jas will be following you. He'll know if anyone else is tailing you.” 

Aya shot another quick look at the man in the tree but said nothing, merely pocketing the paper without looking at it. 

“We’ll be following the car on our bikes,” Omi said. “Will that be a problem for your friend?” 

“No. He knows where you’re going and he can hang back far enough to keep watch but still have you in his contact zone,” Kei replied. 

Ken saw Aya look into the tree and frowned. He’d spotted the blond up there, but what he was wondering about was the way Aya kept glancing in his direction. 

Yohji was wondering about Aya also, but his mental questioning went along a different line of thought. He was wondering about the traces of tension he saw in the red-haired killer’s stance. 

Jas was watching Aya all too aware of the man’s grace and beauty, things he never noticed except when it might have bearing on a mission. 

But this was no mission. They were going to be part of their team. More to the point, he, the Weiss swordsman was going to be part of their team and the thought sent a flash of heat though him. The kind of heat he’d never felt before, a sexual awareness that shook him to the very centre of his soul. 

Aya felt the constant regard from the man in the tree and it sent a frisson of some indefinable emotion through him. He felt his milky pale skin flush and frowned direly. This was ridiculous! Neither of his past lovers had produced this effect in him and he wasn’t sure he appreciated it. In fact he was damned sure he didn’t. 

He felt his team-mates turn to stare at him and resigned himself to the prying and impertinent questions that they were bound to ask later, not one of the three of them able to keep their mouth shut. 

Omi was nodding at Kei’s answer, obviously satisfied. “Until later then,” he said, seeing Aya’s discomfiture. 

Kei frowned at the retreating Weiss. Now that he was paying more attention he could clearly see the tension between the red-haired swordsman and Jas, even though there were yards of distance separating them. 

_Kate's right. There is something very definitely happening here, and it's purely sexual. Damn, I never would have believed anyone could capture Jas' interest, but there is no denying what I just saw._

Now my worry is how it's going to affect the team. 

From the blond Weiss' reaction and that of the red-haired killer there was going to be trouble. Probably a lot of it. 

Aya made straight for the blue car, mouth set in a grim line. Omi took one look at his face and glanced at Ken in case his lover might actually have an answer to the redhead’s erratic behaviour. 

Yohji stalked along, mentally fuming about how damned obvious Aya's reaction to the blond in the tree had been. 

Aya interested in... someone at all was just unbelievable. But what really pissed the older man off was that he would show interest for someone other than him, Kudoh Yohji who'd been in lust with Aya from the day he'd joined Weiss. 

Aya relaxed slightly as he realized that none of them was actually going to be fool enough to say anything. As long as Kudoh remained silent in the car, he should get through this without making a fool of himself. 

When they reached the transport, Omi gave a mental sigh of relief as he straddled his bike. The idea of being trapped in the back of a car with a pissed off Aya driving it was hardly appealing. 

Yohji lit a cigarette, and took a few deep lungful’s of smoke while the pair of younger Weiss put on their helmets and got situated on their cycles. 

The instant Ken started up his bike Yohji tossed the rest of his cigarette aside and got into the car. 

Aya climbed in behind the wheel and shut the door. He put his seatbelt on and started the car, wondering, despite his better judgment, just where the blond might be. He gave himself a mental kick and dug the address out of his pocket. His brows rose. Judging by the address this wasn't just your run-of-the-mill safe house. He handed the paper to Yohji. 

“You navigate.” 

Yohji looked at the address and shook his head. "I've never been this far outside Tokyo by car. We'll have to stop to get a map, and my bet this safe house is an old and unused farm." He sighed, "Probably run down at best but," he shrugged philosophically, "we certainly can't expect them to potentially compromise anywhere their organization might want to keep. Not until they're sure Kritiker isn't on our tails anymore." 

It was then that Aya realized that he’d been so wrapped up in his own problems he hadn’t even considered the whys and wherefores of the safe house. He’d been forced right off his game yet again and he was getting tired of it. 

“Okay,” he said. “I’ll need to fill this thing with gas so we’ll grab a map at the same time.” 

"If you don't mind, while we're getting that map and the gas we might want to do a bit of food shopping. We have no idea how close the nearest store will be, and I'm going to need some beer and a good supply of cigarettes. I've only got two packs of smokes left." 

“There’s a fair amount of food in the trunk but you’re right. If we’re going to be dumped in the middle of nowhere we’ll need more than we have. As for your addictions, as long as I don’t have to pay for them, go ahead.” 

He drove through the crowded streets of the city, wondering if he was going to actually miss it very much. There were very few good memories after all. Spotting a gas station with its own convenience store attached, he pulled in. 

Yohji turned a sour look on Aya, "Name once when you've paid my way for anything." 

Aya’s eyes narrowed. “We all very nearly paid over your obsession with that Schrient bitch,” he shot back. 

Yohji's eyes went hard, but his face paled. "Well I wouldn't want to cause you anymore trouble so I'll tell you what, Aya, I'll just let you go on and join this new team without me. I'm sure that's more to your liking, seeing as how you've picked out a boyfriend already," he snarled, voice showing the anger and hurt he was feeling. 

Here it came, Aya thought with a sinking feeling, and it had been his own stupid fault. “What the fuck are you talking about, Kudoh? I’m not the one who chases anything on two legs!” 

"No, you are much more selective, aren't you Aya?" Yohji muttered. "I saw how that blond was looking at you and how you were looking at him so don't pretend you have no idea what I'm talking about. All this time with you and I've never seen you react like that, but give you a pretty face, grey eyes and blond hair and your cock goes hard, so don't bother to pretend you've got no interest in him, I know what I saw." 

Aya undid the seatbelt and climbed out of the car, slamming the door behind him. “Fill it up,” he snarled at the attendant before marching into the store. Damn Yohji and his sharp eyes! What business was it of his anyway? 

Yohji reached into the back and pulled his duffle bag of clothes into the front before he got out. 

Ken's motorcycle rolled to a stop beside the car, the brunet pulling his helmet off and looking at the blond quizzically, "What's up?" 

"Have a good life, kid. I'm out of this," he said as he slung the duffel over his shoulder. There was a train station not too far away. He could hop a train and strike out on his own but he wasn't going to deal with Aya anymore. 

He just couldn't. Not when seeing him with another man would hurt as badly as the death of Asuka. 

Omi pulled up next to Ken and gazed at the duffle in Yohji’s hands. “Yohji-kun,” he said softly, “you need to tell Aya-kun the truth.” 

"Do you honestly think it will matter?" Yohji asked. "Come on chibi, we both know better. If he'd wanted me he'd have shown some sign, so let's just say goodbye and go our own ways." 

Omi stamped his foot. “He’s shown you dozens of signs! You never had to kill a female target until Neu. And that whole thing hurt him because he never thought you would betray us. You go on about how you feel but you don’t see beyond the end of your nose! Aya-kun is subtle, Yohji-kun, but you were never there to see it were you?” 

Ken wasn't looking at either of his team mates as he said, "Omi, Yohji's got a point. Just looking at that other guy did things to Aya that Yohji's never done." 

The ex-goalie glanced at the store then added, "Sure he's done things for Yohji, but he's done the same kind of stuff for us, hasn't he? Don't read so much into things like that. He was keeping a member of his team from going totally nuts. That's all it was Omi." 

"He's right." Yohji stated. "One look at that blond and Aya went hard. I'd have noticed him doing that with me, and it never happened." Yohji gave Omi a pat on the head, gave Ken a nod and started walking. "Have a good life guys. I'm out of here." 

Aya chose that moment to come out of the store with several bags of groceries. Poking out of the top of one was a carton of cigarettes. He immediately noticed the bag in Yohji’s hands and his shoulders seemed to droop. His face, however, remained impassive as he approached the car. 

He dropped the bags on the back seat, withdrew the cigarettes and a six pack and strode over to the blonde. “You’ll want these,” he said at his most arctic. 

Jade eyes studied the red-head then he put his duffle down and accepted the cigarettes and beer from Aya. "Thanks." He stuffed them into the top of his duffle and stood there for a minute just taking in the younger man's beauty one last time. 

Walking away from the only friends he'd had for the last few years would hurt, but not nearly as much as watching what was going to happen between Aya and that grey-eyed bastard. 

A motorcycle rolled into the parking lot, stopping a few meters away from them. 

Yohji scowled and snatched his duffle off the ground. "Yeah well take care," he snarled out, unable to contain his jealous anger. 

“How far do you think you’ll get alone, Kudoh?” The words were angry but there was pain in Aya’s eyes. Yohji was his friend and, much as he hated to admit it, he relied on that friendship. 

Yohji shrugged, "Does it really matter, Aya? Like you reminded me, I'm a liability and I probably always will be. You're better going into a new life without me." 

The motorcycle rolled closer, and the man riding it pulled off his helmet. Eyes cold as a winter locked sea regarded the four Weiss. "I hope you aren't planning to walk out of this now. You know where they're going, and that makes you a danger to your friends. Walk off now, and I'll guarantee you don't see dawn, because Kei will track you down and kill you." 

Aya spun on his heel to face the speaker, his own eyes just as cold. “If you believe that we’d betray each other you must believe that we’d betray you. That’s not a good basis for a working relationship.” 

"Nor was this 'working relationship' my idea," Jas replied coolly. "I don't want any of you, but I'm not in charge, Kei is." 

Ken glared at the man on the bike, "And who asked you anyway? Fucking butt out of this, asshole." 

The man turned a frigid smile on Ken, "So predictable. I hear the way you greet new team mates is to get into a fist fight. You might want to give that a second thought before trying it with us, Hidaka." 

"If we wanted your opinion we'd have asked you, so piss off." Yohji snapped at Jas, putting his duffle down and taking a step toward the other blond. 

Omi had finally had enough of all of them. “Yohji-kun, just get in the fucking car,” he said with a sigh of irritation. “Aya-kun, if you have enough shopping, let’s go.” He turned his bright blue eyes on the man on the bike, their bright depths as cool as Aya’s. “And if you’re as predictable as to mention my Takatori blood you’re even dumber than you look. Now let’s move people!” 

A very small smile played round Aya’s mouth at Omi’s words but he turned away from the blond on the bike and headed for the car without another word. 

Ken smirked and put his helmet back on while Yohji, relenting, shoved his duffle back into the car. 

Jas just smiled at how easy the four were to manipulate into doing what he'd wanted: getting the lanky blond to stay. 

Aya drove in silence for several miles, unwilling to even try to fathom out what had got into Yohji. His accusation that he’d ‘picked out a boyfriend’ was ridiculous. The blond following them was every bit as arrogant as his leader and with a lot less reason to be so. Ridiculous! 

Yohji just kept his mouth shut. There wasn't any point in saying a damned thing to Aya anyway. 

The silence was broken by Aya when they came to a rather tricky junction that didn’t appear to have any signs. “Which way?” 

Yohji looked down at the map, "You better pull over so I can figure this out," he said as he raised his eyes from the folded paper in his lap to the roadway junction sign. 

“Okay.” Aya pulled into a lay-by and waited patiently while Yohji made a decision. 

Ken motored to a stop beside them and pulled his helmet off. "What's wrong? Did we take a wrong turn or something?" 

Aya shook his head. “Just trying to make sure we don’t but all the sign had on it was the road numbers. No town names.” 

Yohji got out of the car and stretched just as the black cycle that had been following behind them pulled into the pull-off. 

Jade eyes watched as the blond came to a stop near Aya. 

"What's the hold up?" 

Aya stared at the newcomer coolly. “We’re working out which road we’re supposed to take. Any objections?” 

Behind him, Omi put his bike on its stand as he climbed off to stretch his legs. 

"No. None at all," the leather clad man replied, a tinge of amusement in his tone. He kicked the stand for his bike down and shut the engine off. 

Ken got off his bike and walked over to Yohji, "I might be able to figure it out. I've ridden out this way a few times on my days off." 

"Be my guest, I'm at a loss." Yohji admitted as he passed the brunet the map through the open car window and pulled his smokes from his pocket. He got out of the car, stretching before he lit up. 

Aya shrugged and climbed out of the car in his turn. He might as well have a stretch as Ken and Yohji figured out the road they should take. He carefully didn’t look at the blond biker. 

Jas got off his own bike and took a walk over to the edge of the pull-off, looking down a shallow slope into an area of high grass and scattered wild flowers. 

He knew which way they had to go, but if they weren't asking, he wasn't telling. 

Yohji took a long drag of smoke and let it slip from his parted lips as he watched the leather clad man walk to the retaining wall and stand there staring at the ragged grass and weeds. 

"I think we need to take the right fork of the road. It looks like the left one heads away from the town we're looking for," Ken stated as he glanced from the map to the ambiguous signage. 

“Are you sure, Ken-kun? I really don’t want to have to double back,” Omi said, a decided whine creeping into his voice at the thought of his sore ass if they had to go much further than they absolutely had to. 

Aya, meanwhile, walked away from the others to gaze up at the slowly darkening sky. 

"Yeah Omi, as sure as I can be from the map, the address and the sign," Ken replied. 

Yohji leaned back against the car and yawned, "Let's go then. If we don't find this place before dark we're not going to get there until tomorrow." 

He crushed out the remains of his cigarette on the bottom of his boot and tossed the butt aside. 

The other blond turned. He didn't want to spend the night wandering aimlessly around Japan. "It's the left branch. About seven kilometers past the town there's a road that takes you to right to the farm." 

“Thank you,” Omi said with real gratitude and walked back to his bike. 

Aya said nothing as he strode back to the car and climbed in behind the wheel deliberately staring straight ahead. 

Yohji got in and buckled his seatbelt. "I'm sick of being in this car. It's freaking cramped, and the seats make my butt go numb," he muttered. 

Ken pulled up beside the car on Aya's side, "I'll take point. I think I can find the road. It's probably dirt like the one that goes to the cabin." 

Aya nodded his thanks to Ken and started the car. “For once, I agree with you, Kudoh, it’s a fucking awful car,” he said. 

He pulled back onto the road and followed Ken down the left fork. They still had enough light to make it by dusk if that damned blond had it right. 

He took a quick glance at the one by his side. Once he had hoped that they could be more than friends but Yohji had proved time and time again just how straight he was until Aya wasn’t prepared to make any sort of move on him, too afraid of the hurt of rejection. Yet now Yohji was acting like a jealous lover and he couldn’t figure out why. 

Yohji glanced at the rear view mirror, seeing the black cycle well behind them. Anger welled up when he thought of the way Aya had reacted to the other man earlier. 

Yet that reaction had been absent at the pull-off, and that made him wonder if he might have the hope of a chance with Aya. But how in hell could he even broach the subject without getting himself gutted was anyone's guess. 

But Aya didn't have the katana in his hand, nor did he have any easy way to reach it since it was in the trunk of the car. 

No time like the present. But how to start? 

"Well we can get rid of it and find something better later," Yohji remarked, wondering if he dared try after all. He seldom tried to even talk with Aya as the other man wasn't the type for conversation that wasn't about a mission. 

Aya scoffed. “A wheelbarrow would be better than this heap of junk! It might be inconspicuous but its damned uncomfortable and it drives like a pig.” 

"Yeah, we have to get rid of this piece of shit. My back is starting to hurt from this seat." 

Yohji noticed Ken was slowing down. "I think we're almost to the town, Aya. Is that a traffic light ahead?" 

It was a traffic light, which was why Ken had slowed down as they didn't have the right of way. A huge truck piled with vegetables slowly made the turn and chugged it's way toward them. 

Every sense in Aya's body was screaming trap at him and he wondered if he was being paranoid. Something about that truck seemed ominous to him. 

"Yohji," he said quietly, "I don't like the look of this." He followed his instincts and rammed the car into reverse and backed away from the oncoming truck. 

"Calm down Aya, it's just a truck," Yohji told his team mate as he glanced at Omi behind them. The boy had been forced to slam on the brakes when Aya had reversed the car. 

The truck swerved erratically and headed straight for them. Aya hoped the car had some guts in it as he shot forward. Omi was forced to swerve round the other side of the truck that was now perched at the side of the road with its front wheels in a ditch. “Just a truck, huh?” 

"No comment," Yohji muttered as he turned to see the truck driver half fall out of the vehicle's cab. The man was drunk from the looks of it and Yohji turned away from the scene quickly. 

Jas easily avoided the situation, his smile hidden from the Weiss by the helmet he wore. So the red-haired assassin isn't a total loss. 

The traffic light had changed to green and they all moved forward again, taking the turn-off past the town. Ken had been right, it was a dirt road and rounding a corner gave them their first glimpse of the safe house. 

It was old. Historically old from the look of the heavy wooden beams and the tiled roof. An ancient farmhouse amid fields planted with an assortment of vegetables, there were ruts in the road that even Ken on his bike slowed to go over. 

"Just as well we don't have our old cars, or one better than this one," Yohji commented. "At least if this car gets ruined on the road we won't care." 

“I’d happily dump the damned thing,” Aya agreed with feeling. He climbed out and stretched aching muscles, staring at the farmhouse through narrowed eyes. He wondered if it was as decrepit on the inside as it looked from the outside. 

Ken was already climbing onto the porch. "Shit I bet there isn't even any cable TV out here. 

Yohji got out of the car and lit a cigarette. "This place is already not my idea of a good time," he remarked flatly as he stared out into the fields. 

Omi rolled his eyes. “Look at all the food in the fields though,” he said with as much of his usual enthusiasm as he could muster after the long ride. Aya turned an icy stare on him and he blushed and shuffled his feet. The sound of the blond’s motorcycle was heard coming down the road as Aya opened the trunk to retrieve his few possessions. 

"I don't think any of that is for our use, Omi," Ken commented as he tried the front door. It was locked. "So where are the keys?" 

Jas stopped near the red-haired Weiss and pulled his helmet off. "You're here, stay here, and don’t leave until you're told to leave." He reached into his pocket and pulled out a cell phone and the keys. "Keep the phone close. Kei will call tomorrow to see if you need anything but I don't know what time he'll call. There's a work schedule on a cork board in the kitchen. Make sure it gets done, you're not here on vacation." 

Aya ignored both the keys and the phone and picked up his bags and the katana. It was Omi who moved forward to collect them but only so he could glare up at the blond. 

“We’re not afraid of hard work,” he said coolly. “Was there anything else?” 

The blond studied the boy in silence, as if measuring him and finding something lacking. He turned his attention back on Aya, "Try to keep your blond friend from getting drunk every night. I know it's going to be hard, but make the effort." 

Yohji spun to look at the other blond. "Mind your own damned business, asshole." 

“Leave it, both of you,” Aya snapped. “It’s not worth it. If he wants to go through life being a prick that’s up to him, personally I don’t give a fuck.” 

"Wow, now isn't that the pot calling the kettle black?" Jas remarked to the red-head as he reached for his helmet to put it back on. 

Aya didn’t even react to that, merely waiting for Omi to get the door open. He might find the blond attractive physically but mentally he thought far too much of himself for someone who’d needed to be rescued by his team leader not so many nights ago. 

Yohji grabbed some of their stuff out of the car and stalked toward the door just as the other blond spun his bike, raining a shower of dust and gravel over the Weiss blond. 

"Son of a bitch!" Yohji snarled as the small rocks and dirt hit him. One of the flying bits of rock hit his cheek and drew a bead of blood. 

"That asshole has some real issues," Ken grumbled as he glared after the retreating killer. 

“No more than any of us do,” Aya said. 

“Aya-kun’s right,” Omi piped up. “I doubt if they want to work with us anymore than we really want to work with them but none of us have any choice if we’re to survive.” 

“Try telling him that,” Aya suggested dryly as he carried his bags towards the house. “We’d better see if it’s habitable and what this schedule is all about.” 

"Well I've never thrown gravel all over you guys," Ken retorted as he got his stuff out of the trunk. 

"No, you just beat Aya bloody the day he joined Weiss. Much different," Yohji remarked as he went up the steps. 

“As I remember it we knocked each other out.” 

“Yes,” Omi agreed as he got the door open, “and if you hadn’t I’d have put a dart in both your asses till you slept off the temper! Ugh! What is that smell?” 

"Cow shit," Yohji replied as he stopped just inside the doorway. He looked around at the beautifully polished wooden floor and the beam ceiling overhead and gave a low whistle. "Classy." 

“Beats any safe house Kritiker ever provided,” Aya said. 

Omi grimaced remembering in all too vivid detail some of the rat-infested fleapits that Kritiker had provided them with over the years. It proved just how little the organization had really thought of them. Not that the luxurious comfort surrounding them meant that this group thought any more highly of them. 

Yohji stepped off the porch, "I wonder what that job list is all about. Somehow I don't think we're going to like it." 

"Probably just taking care of the vegetables," Ken remarked as he opened the back door of the car and reached in to get the groceries. 

"Well any shoveling of shit is not going to be my job," Yohji stated. 

Aya and Omi exchanged a glance as their friends argued. “I think I actually want a look at this list,” Aya said to the smaller blond. Omi grinned back at him. 

“First to read gets the first choice on jobs!” Then he was sprinting through the door, Aya hard on his heels. 

The kitchen was a gleaming collection of mod cons and Omi stopped for a second just to admire. It was all the time Aya needed and he grabbed the list pinned to a cork board on the far wall. He read the list and his frown slowly gave way to a small smile. 

“I’ll take on the plants and vegetables,” he said and handed the list to Omi. 

There was a loud racket from the front door and Ken came bolting in, grinning like a fool. "What's left?" 

From the lurid swearing coming from Yohji it didn't take much brain power to figure out that Ken had done something to prevent the longer legged blond from gaining access to the house before he did. 

“Whatever Omi leaves you,” Aya said with an answering grin, “I’ve taken on all the botanic work.” After Yohji’s little tantrum at the gas station, he was perfectly happy to see him get left with the shit jobs. 

Omi was scanning the list. “I’ll deal with egg-collecting and anything pertaining to the hen house,” he decided and passed the list over to his lover. 

"I'll feed the rest of the animals," Ken said. "It might actually be interesting since I've never been near a farm." 

Yohji came limping in, glared at Ken and set a dripping grocery bag down in the sink before he pulled his fruit juice soaked shirt off and hobbled out, saying over his shoulder, "I mean it. I'm not cleaning up animal shit." 

“It doesn’t need cleaning up,” Aya said. “It needs composting unless it’s from the pigs. We use it as fertilizer.” 

“It’s actually a very good system, Yohji-kun,” Omi said as he read the various instructions. “Think about it, very little waste, fresh air, fresh food, no fangirls and something to do.” 

Aya eyed the youngest Weiss with some suspicion. Was that a note of malicious amusement in Tsukiyono’s voice? 

From wherever Yohji was going came the very firm, "NO!" 

Ken sighed and stared after Yohji. "I think we hit a button." 

“Yeah, and not a night club for miles,” Aya said as he began putting away the groceries. A giggle from Omi confirmed his suspicions. The youngest Weiss, worried by Yohji’s physical deterioration, thought this place was the answer. He didn’t share his optimism. Kudoh and mulish belonged in the same sentence. 

Ken started putting groceries away. "I don't even think he knows just how out of it he is." 

"SOMEONE BETTER FIND THE FIRST AID KIT!" was bellowed from wherever Yohji had gone. 

“Finish this,” Aya said to Ken and headed out of the kitchen. He rummaged in their luggage until he found the kit. “Where are you, Kudoh?” 

"The bathroom down the hall," Yohji replied, his voice sounding a bit strained. 

Aya headed for the bathroom and stopped short in the doorway. 

The room was huge with a large tub in the middle of the tiled floor, a marble counter with two sinks, a pair of showers off to the side and two additional doors, one probably led to the toilet. 

Yohji was seated on a bench by one of the showers, his boot off looking at his ankle which was swelling. He saw Aya and said, "When I can walk I'm going to kill Ken, just so you know." 

“Did Ken deliberately trip you, or was it your own clumsiness?” Aya asked. He opened the kit and drew out an elastic bandage. “Is it broken or just sprained?” 

"Jackass boy didn't trip me, he shoved me and I fell off the porch, Aya." Yohji moved his foot gingerly, "Sprained is my best educated guess. If it starts turning blood red then I'll change my opinion to broken." 

“Wriggle your toes,” Aya commanded. “I can’t put this on if it’s broken. All I can do then is to take you to the nearest hospital for a cast.” 

Yohji did as he was told, wiggling them, though he did flinch a bit at the pain. "See not broken," but the look on his face was now a bit more dubious of his own diagnosis. 

Aya took hold of Yohji’s foot and gently manipulated it. It moved with ease although it obviously caused the blond considerable pain judging by the way he hissed through gritted teeth. “I think it’s a bad sprain.” He went to bind the ankle with the elastic bandage to support it. “If it feels any worse in the next few hours let me know and we’ll get an x-ray done.” 

"Forget the bandage. I think I need to get this fruit juice off of me in the shower. Maybe if I get in the tub and let it soak it won't hurt so much," Yohji said as he reached for the button of his jeans. 

"And kill Ken for me, okay?" 

“Irritating as he may be, we’re going to need Ken if we’re to deal with the workload we’ve been given.” He turned away in order to run a bath for Yohji. 

The blond got out of his pants and underwear and got to his feet. He hung on to the shower stall door, and paused, looking at the short drop to the tile floor of the shower. There wasn't anything for him to hold on to, and he wasn't too sure about how slick the tiles might be, and he sure as hell didn't want to fall again. He could already feel the bruise forming on his chest and hip from where he'd landed on the bottles of juice. 

"Okay he can live, but he gets to go to the store to buy more juice. I'm sure as hell not going since it was his stupid game that got me hurt and the juice bottles smashed." 

“Seems reasonable.” Aya stood up and turned round. His eyes widened as he saw Yohji’s state of undress but he soon pulled himself together as he saw the blond’s dilemma. 

"I think I need a hand here, Aya," Yohji freely admitted. "I don't want to fall again and maybe break it, or something else." 

Jade eyes met violet, and the blond gave Aya a slow, sexy smile, "Wanna picture?" he asked, teasing the younger man and waiting to see what his reaction would be. 

“I’d like a few answers,” Aya said, “but I’m unlikely to get them.” He stalked across the bathroom. “Hold on to me while you take your shower.” 

Close up he could smell Yohji’s cologne under the smell of the juice and he was shaking very slightly as he placed himself so the blond could use him as a makeshift crutch. 

Naked there was no way Yohji could hide the fact his cock went partially hard as Aya stepped closer, but he decided not to make an issue of it. If Aya wanted to know, he'd have to be the one to ask. 

"Answers? What kind of answers?" Yohji asked as he reached to turn on the water. "You're going to get wet if you stay in here." 

“Like why you suddenly decided you wanted to turn your back on us and why you seemed jealous of that blond?” 

He moved so Yohji could keep a hand on his shoulder without his actually having to be in the shower with him, and pulled the shower curtain across to hide the vision from sight before he made a complete fool of himself. 

Where had all these desires suddenly sprung up from? And why was Yohji semi-hard? It made no sense at all. The man was straight. 

His fingers on Aya's shoulder made him wish they were on bare skin, that he could pull the younger man into the shower with him and kiss him breathless. 

Yohji looked around in the shower and frowned. "Forgot to make sure there was soap in here. Can you go get mine out of my stuff, Aya? I'm sorry to bother you, but," he motioned to his foot and sighed. 

He carefully didn't mention the other things Aya was going to find in with his soap and shampoo, but Yohji couldn't completely contain the faint smile that knowing Aya was about to find a gay porn magazine and lube in the same bag with his bath stuff put on his lips. 

“Will you be able to keep your balance?” Aya asked. When he was sure Yohji would be okay, he headed for his luggage. It didn’t take him long to find Yohji’s wash bag and he reached in for the soap only to have his hand close round a tube. Frowning in confusion he pulled it out of the bag. He stared down at a tube of lube. 

Uncomprehending he reached in again and found the soap. However, his gaze fell on a porno magazine. It wasn’t a surprising discovery considering whose bag he was rummaging through, except that, instead of the half naked women he’d been expecting to see, he was staring at two very attractive young men locked in a passionate clinch. 

It was too much to take in and so he returned to the shower in a daze and handed the soap to Yohji without a word. 

Yohji took the soap but had to turn away from Aya to hide the smirk on his face, the stunned expression Aya wore telling him the man had gotten an eye full of the porn magazine. 

"They're pretty, aren't they?" he asked softly as he started to scrub himself with the soap. He had to take this slow. He knew that. If he went too fast he'd drive the red-head away, might already have done so if he'd read the signs wrong. 

But he was very certain that Aya was gay. 

“What? Oh…oh yes, very pretty.” Then the pent up frustrations of the past three years boiled over. “Why the fuck didn’t you tell us you liked men?” 

Yohji turned jade eyes on Aya. "I never said I didn't, did I?" He smiled, "And it's not all men anyway, just..." he openly looked his team mate up and down, eyes warming with lust, "certain ones." 

And Aya finally had an answer to Yohji’s jealous fit over the blond killer from the other team. 

He growled low in his throat and stepped into the shower fully-clothed. “You bastard!” he snarled before pushing Yohji up against the tiles and plundering his mouth. 

The blond winced as his ankle was jarred, but the press of Aya's body holding him to the wall and the feel of the younger man's mouth, the taste of Aya made him forget the pain. His blood heated, cock going instantly hard and he groaned, his arms going around Aya, holding on, pulling him closer as he returned the kiss with three years of pent up desire behind it. 

Aya broke away from Yohji’s mouth. He had so many questions but now was not the time to ask them. Now was the time to act. One hand reached down between them and squeezed the hard cock that was pressed against him. 

Yohji groaned at the wonderful torment of Aya's calloused hand as it gripped his cock and held on. "Gods Aya, you have no idea how many times I thought of your hands on me. Every time I looked at you practicing your sword katas. I used to think about you, so graceful, so damned beautiful as I jerked off late at night." 

He lowered his head, kissed along the side of the alabaster throat, nipped the red haired man's earlobe as one hand worked to get Aya's pants open. "This is going to be hard for me if we do this standing up." 

Aya wasn’t prepared to tell Yohji how he’d thought about him in the same fashion and during the same occupation. Right now he was too angry with the blond to even talk to him. He did, however, realize that they would need to get out of the shower so Yohji could take the weight off his injured foot. 

He stepped out of the shower, uncaring of the small waterfall running off his clothing. “Out of the shower, Kudoh.” 

Yohji didn't need to be told twice. He followed Aya out. "I don't care what you want to do to me, Aya, so long as it involves you making me come." 

“I’ll decide later if you get to do that,” Aya said coldly. “Now get on the floor.” 

Yohji's eyes widened. He blinked. "You'll... decide?" He just stood there staring at Aya for a minute, then he smiled slightly. "So that's it. You're a Dom? You like to be in control. I should have realized that from how self-controlled you are. Silly me, for not figuring that out." The blond chuckled and looked around for something to use to steady himself, then just gingerly managed to ease himself to the floor without too much stress on his injury. 

Aya shucked his sodden clothing and joined Yohji on the floor. His hands wandered over the contours of that golden-skinned body, the reality of it even better than his dreams had been. 

Yohji had watched Aya strip, his eyes full of appreciation at the man's sleek body and pale skin. The blond couldn't remember the number of times he'd been touching a woman while mentally comparing her to the man he secretly lusted after. 

And there'd never been any favourable comparison between those meaningless women and the man on the floor beside him. Touching him. 

He gripped a handful of the man's deep red hair and pulled gently, his mouth closing over Aya's in a burning kiss. 

Aya allowed the kiss although his hands continued their exploration of Yohji’s glorious body. The blond might appear lanky but there was well defined muscle under the silken skin of his chest and those long legs were also muscular. He pulled away from Yohji’s mouth and tweaked a nipple before placing his mouth over it. 

"Oh... shit....Aya..." Yohji moaned, his hand tightening in Aya's hair as a wonderfully wet and warm tongue worked over the tender flesh on his chest. His cock twitched and the blond gasped his free hand reaching for the cock he could feel against his thigh. 

Fingers strengthened by years of using a harigane wrapped around the firm flesh, feeling silken skin and the pulse of Aya's heart. He pressed the head of Aya's cock into the palm of his hand, giving pleasure, waiting for a reaction. 

This was heaven, exactly what he’d wanted for so long. He gasped as Yohji’s hand closed round his twitching cock but kept working on the blond’s nipples, nipping and laving them until they were taut. 

Yohji stroked the hardness in his hand, his own cock erect and twitching as he groaned at the sensations Aya was wresting from his nipples. Heat pooled in his balls and he tangled his free hand in the younger killer's hair. 

"Aya... please..." 

He tugged at Aya's hair, trying to guide the maddening tongue and almost savage teeth lower. 

“Please what, Yohji?” He pulled his head away from the hand in his hair and gazed into the blond’s almost desperate green eyes his own full of dark and malicious humour. “You’ve made us both wait years for this so I’m sure you can manage for a little while longer.” 

He kissed the object of so many fantasies, so many frustrated years of suppressed passion, pent up emotions. 

Yohji returned the kiss with an equal amount of desire his free hand going to the back of Aya's head and holding him there as their tongues darted and slid in a passionate dance. 

His body felt as if it would catch fire, years of denial, of refusing to believe he could ever have this man melting away as they kissed. 

Yohji broke the kiss, "Fuck me, Aya. Please I can't take any more," he was demanding what he wanted, not begging. Not yet anyway. 

Aya chuckled evilly. “You can’t take any more? And here was I thinking you were the great playboy. Where’s your stamina?” 

Yohji gave Aya a dirty look. "I've got lots of stamina. I can fuck all night Aya, but I've wanted this for a long time and thought it was out of my reach." 

If Yohji thought he was going to get what he wanted so quickly and easily he was very much mistaken. He had years of frustration to pay for. 

The blond's hand started to speed up, stroking Aya's cock, trying to induce the same kind of desperation in the other man that he already felt. 

Aya’s hand clamped down on Yohji’s wrist and pulled his hand away. “You’re not going to be the one doing the fucking, Kudoh, I am. And I’ll fuck you when I’m good and ready and not before.” 

He climbed to his feet and retrieved the tube of lube from the pocket of his pants where he had put it before bringing the soap into the bathroom. 

Yohji grinned. "Sure Aya. Fuck me until I can't sit, I'll just ask for more." 

“Don’t be an even bigger idiot than you already are,” Aya snapped. “If you can’t sit and you can’t stand, what the hell use are you going to be to anyone?” 

Although the question had been asked mockingly, there was real concern behind it. Aya didn’t think the man who called himself Darkness would have any time for Yohji’s little games. The blond would have to get fit fast and stop being a lazy playboy if he was going to survive at all. It wasn’t a comfortable thought. 

"Well you can just lay the blame on Ken for my ankle. This sure as fuck wasn't my idea of a good way to get out of this farming bullshit. Besides, know what they say, most accidents happen at home. Well this is home for now so I had an accident because Ken decided to horse around on the porch and shove me." 

He looked away from Aya, none to happy with himself over being laid up. "And in case you haven't noticed, I'm not of much use to anyone lately, not even myself." He sat up and looked around for a towel. "The floor is cold." 

Aya gazed coolly at him. “This farming ‘bullshit’ is actually quite a clever idea. We’re well away from the dangers and distractions of the city and at the same time we get a work out. As for being no use to anyone…” He sighed slightly, knowing that the blond was right. 

“We’ve all been off our game, Kudoh, every last one of us. Now we’ve been given a last chance to survive and I think we’d better take it.” 

Another thought struck him and he frowned. “And we’d better be able to defend ourselves if Schwarz should come to call again.” 

Yohji sighed. “Schwarz, if anyone knows where we are, it will be them. Probably no way to hide from them either, all things considered,” the blond admitted. “And I'm still not sure joining up with these guys was a good idea, not that Schwarz was a better choice.” 

He forced a smile and winked at Aya, determined not to lose what he'd already gotten so close to achieving: namely Aya's cock up his ass. “So you just going to hold that lube or were you planning on using it?” 

Aya shrugged. “You’re complaining about a cold floor and either Ken or Omi will probably want the bathroom sooner or later. We’ll find a bed.” 

“Good idea,” Yohji said as he started to get up off the floor, using one hand and his uninjured leg he managed it rather handily, proving he wasn't as totally out of condition as some people might think. 

Of course the coughing fit he had immediately after getting up ruined his little demonstration. 

Aya sighed in irritation and got an arm under the blond’s shoulder. He said nothing about Yohji’s smoking, the habit not having had any effect on the blond’s ability to do his job…as yet. The drinking was another matter entirely and one that would need to be severely curtailed if Yohji was to survive. 

He hoped what they were about to do would make the blond forget the booze for a while but somehow doubted it. He started to second guess himself as he got Yohji into one of the bedrooms and onto the king-sized bed. He might just make bad worse and there was still his strong reaction to the other team’s icy blond to consider. 

That made him think again, he was still thinking in terms of two separate teams and, as they’d been stuck out here on their own, they weren’t the only ones. 

Yohji was the known quantity, for all his bad habits and irritating ways. The other blond was an arrogant prick. 

Yohji lay back on the bed, stared into the enigmatic violet eyes of the man he was so deeply in love with it hurt. “You can do anything you want, so long as you don't hurt my ankle any worse than it is, okay Aya?” 

Three years of silently wanting the blond overtook him and Aya growled as he pushed Yohji back onto the bed, covering that sexy mouth with his own. It seemed like it was the only way to shut Kudoh up. 

He wasn’t entirely sure what he did want to do, but he was pretty sure that instinct would take over. 

When Aya growled goose bumps roughened Yohji's entire body in reaction. That sound coming from the red-haired man was enough to stand his cock up hard as stone and turn the blond's brains to lust drenched mush. The kiss that followed removed any capacity for rational thought. He spread his legs wide, and then hooked them over the younger man's shoulders to show him exactly what he wanted. 

Aya’s hands ran over that long body and came to rest on the rock hard cock. He applied just the right amount of pressure. 

Yohji groaned and thrust into the firm hand round his cock. 

“Interesting,” a deep, faintly accented voice said from behind Aya. It was a voice he knew all too well. “But not something I hadn't seen.” 

Aya snatched back his hand as it he’d been burned and spun round to face the intruder, wishing he had a weapon to hand. Of course the smug bastard across the room seemed able to dodge virtually all attacks due to his ‘talent’ so neither sword nor gun would do him a lot of good. 

“What the hell are you doing here?” 

Crawford shrugged and took a step closer to the bed as Yohji pulled away from Aya and glared at the American precog. 

“Making one last effort to save us all from Rosenkreuz.” His dark eyes were taking in Yohji's lean nakedness, and there was a glint of something unreadable in the man's gaze. 

Whatever it was, Yohji certainly didn't like the way the man was watching him. It reminded him too much of the way a cat would stare at a wounded bird. 

“Your pet homicidal maniac and that freakish kid gave us the party line already. We turned them down,” Aya said. “Or is there something about the word ‘no’ that you simply don’t understand?” 

Brad grabbed a handful of dark red hair, “What part of dead don't you get?” he snarled into the younger man's face, and planted an open hand into he middle of the blond Weiss' face as Yohji went for him. He shoved and sent the injured man back onto the bed, hard. 

“Both of you shut up and listen!” the American snarled. “You, them, us, we'll all be dead if we don't work together against Rosenkreuz. If you think the Elders of Esset and Schwarz are the worst you will face, you are about to receive a very rude awakening!” 

“Have you approached them?” Aya asked. “Or did nearly losing your sadistic friend convince you that they don’t like you very much.” He wasn’t sure they liked them either, but at least none of them had had a hole blown in them…yet. 

“Frankly I'd happily cut that blond bastard into small pieces over the course of a month or two.... if I had the time and didn't have to worry that by the end of the month we'll all be dead.” 

Which, of course, wasn't the real truth. No, the distressing part of it to the American was that they would be dead. Schwarz. Not the Weiss and not the bloody bastards that had somehow convinced the only potential allies they could have hoped for to walk away without so much as a backward glance. 

He let Aya's hair go, but his gaze kept going to the tall blond in the bed. The look of that sleek, lean body was warming his blood the way only Schuldig normally could. Frowning he tore his gaze away and regarded the face of the other Weiss. Not that he wouldn't love to shove the swordsman down and fuck him into submission, but he didn't quite affect Crawford in the same way Kudoh did. 

“Perhaps if you’d kept a tighter leash on that telepathic bastard and his maniac sidekick we’d have been more inclined to listen,” Aya said coldly. “If you hadn’t tried to take my sister or let Farfarello and Naoe beat Ken and Omi into bloody pulp we might have been remotely interested in your survival. 

“As it is, although I thank you for letting me get to Takatori, I really don’t care if you all die tomorrow.” 

"And you think I'm not aware of all that?" Brad sighed and stepped away from the bed to stare out of the nearest window. His hands gripped the sill, knuckles going white. "I can't be everywhere at once," he admitted softly. "And I don't see every single detail of the future either." 

He turned around to level a blank stare at the pair of Weiss. "We could have killed all four of you but we didn't. But I suppose it doesn't matter." He rested his behind against the window ledge, and sighed. "We were very careful to manoeuvre all of you to places in the Ani where I would be sure of your survival. It wasn't easy to do that, but we did it the only way we could: by getting you to fight us. Do you think we had any reason at all to stay there after the Elders were dead, other than to save your lives?" His lips curled into a bitter smile. "And here I am, trying to save all of you again." He shook his head, "Well you're safe for the time being. I won't tell them where you are, not even under torture." 

He walked over to the bed, looking down at the two Weiss. 

Fast as a striking serpent he leaned down and pressed a heated kiss to Yohji's mouth, his fingers tangled in the blond killer's hair before he moved quickly away from any retaliation the men would make. 

Yohji just lay there too stunned to react, his jade eyes wide and full of confusion. There was something very familiar about the feel of the American's mouth on his, and it bothered him because there wasn't any reason for him to feel that way. 

"Don't think on it too hard, Kudoh," Crawford said as he headed for the bedroom door. 

“Wait!” Aya was totally unconcerned about his nudity as he jumped off the bed. “Why did you want us alive? Was it to save your skins?” 

The little scene with Yohji had him confused but now was not the time to worry about that. Schwarz knew where they were and despite Crawford’s talk of wanting to keep them alive that fact did not sit comfortably with him. 

Crawford turned to look at the red-haired Weiss. "We kept you alive because I knew it would come down to a battle for survival against Rosenkreuz. But I've told you this before. You don't stand a chance of surviving against them. Not even with the help of DSS." He looked meaningfully at Yohji, "Not all of you anyway." 

As the Schwarz leader watched, Balinese went deathly pale and he gave the man a little smile. The blond had finally remembered. 

"Oh... gods..." he heard Yohji whisper. "You... Schuldig..." The jade eyes closed, a shudder passing through the blond's lanky body at the memory of their hands on him. But it hadn't just been hands, or mouths. There had been cocks too. Crawford and Schuldig, with the American fucking him and his own mouth wrapped around Schuldig's erection. 

Shouting in rage and self loathing, Yohji bolted out of the bed, intending to choke the life out of the smirking bastard. His ankle had other ideas and he pitched headlong to the floor, landing hard enough to knock the breath out of him. 

It didn’t take a genius to realise what Crawford and Schuldig must have done at some point in time and Aya’s eyes narrowed at the thought. 

He glared at the smirking American. “You’ve said your piece and done your damage; now get the fuck out of here.” 

And Crawford did just that, walking out of the bedroom, a leaden weight forming in the pit of his stomach as he saw, not just how Kudoh would die protecting the red-head from being killed, but the also the finality of the darkness as it closed over Schwarz.


	6. Chapter 6

## Chapter 6

Nagi paced restlessly until he heard the sound of Brad’s car pulling up in the drive. On the couch, Schuldig raised his head and then lowered it again, his shoulders slumped in defeat. “We’re on our own kid.” 

“Haven’t we always been?” 

Farfarello nodded, "Yes, but this time it's different. Before we were just trying to escape the clutches of the Elders, now..." Berserker glanced at Schuldig, "we're going to face everything Rosenkruez throws at us. And since Brad says there is no way for us to survive without Weiss..." he shrugged, "we're going to die." 

“I still don’t see what those four mundanes could offer us,” Nagi retorted, “unless as human shields and that wouldn’t work against mental attacks.” He walked towards Farfarello, head held high belying the feeling of despair in his belly. When he reached his psychotic lover he grabbed the back of his head and pressed desperate lips to his. “Then we die together,” he whispered through the kiss. 

Farfarello wrapped his arms around the boy and returned the kiss, nipping at his lover's lower lip as he did so. 

The door opened and Crawford entered the house. He glanced at the two locked in an impassioned kiss. There was nothing in his gaze. Nothing at all but complete emptiness. 

"We have one chance to survive," the Oracle announced. "It's not promising, but I thought I'd tell you what it is and let you decide." 

“Tell us, vater. One chance is better than none at all.” 

He met Schuldig's gaze squarely as he said, "We three go back to Rosenkreuz and return to being their toys and Nagi goes to Weiss and asks for sanctuary." 

“NO!” Nagi felt like he’d screamed out the word but knew he hadn’t. He’d whispered it because he was having the fight of his young life hanging on to his equilibrium. If he lost control of that he could kill them all and save the rest of the bastards out there the bother. “I won’t leave you.” 

Brad closed the distance between them and backhanded the boy hard enough to take the slender teen off his feet. "You'll do what you're told to do!" he snarled, hating what he'd just done, and hating the lie he'd just told to the boy. 

The three of them could go back to Rosenkreuz, crawling on their knees like dogs, but it wouldn't matter. They'd be killed for what they'd done, one way or another who they were now would die. 

Nagi raised a hand to his face before climbing off the floor. He stared at the man who’d been the only father he’d ever known or wanted. *You never could lie to us worth a damn,* he said softly into their link, careful to keep Schuldig and Farfarello out of it. He fought hard not to cry, to show weakness, to smash the room into match sized smithereens. *You’re all the family I have and I don’t want to live without you.* 

Crawford glowered at Farfarello and Schuldig, "Both of you, get out!" 

The Berserker didn't know what the American was doing to his lover, but that tone of voice sent him out of the room quickly. There was nothing the Irishman really feared... but he knew from past experience that a pissed off Oracle wasn't something he wanted to deal with. 

Brad grabbed the boy by his still too narrow shoulders and shook him violently, his own helplessness and frustration coming to the forefront as he confronted the boy who was the closest thing he had to a son. *You're the only one that matters! You're why we broke from Esset and Rosenkreuz! It was for you, damn it and I'm not going to let them have you!* 

Now he could cry, could show the misery he felt inside. So it was with tears streaming down his face that he murmured aloud, “Please, let me die with you. I don’t have the strength to go on alone.” 

Brad picked Nagi up and carried him to the couch where he sat down and held the boy close, his eyes half closed as he remembered finding him. Dirty and half starved, lost and alone in a filthy alleyway. 

"Please, Nagi," he whispered, "don't take this from me. You have to live so I know everything I've done wasn't in vain." 

Skinny arms wrapped round his neck and Nagi leaned his head against Brad’s chest. “Very well,” he said on a gasping breath. He took a few moments to regain control of himself, “though I can’t see Weiss taking me in. Fujimiya hates me and I detest them.” 

Brad held the boy the way he'd never done before, his hand stroking down Nagi's back, trying to imagine what it would have been like if they'd had a chance to be a family, a real family, the way he'd always wanted them to be. 

Foolish dreams thwarted by the cruel touch of a Fate none of them could escape. 

None of them but Nagi. 

"Don't ask Fujimiya. Ask Kudoh." He kissed the top of Nagi's head, "He'll convince them you're worth keeping." 

Nagi glanced up at that. He thought back to the only other time that Brad had laid a finger on him, when he was making a fool of himself over Tot. He vaguely remembered Kudoh thinking they were both dead and putting her hand in his. The man had a kind streak no matter what face he might show to the world. 

“Okay,” he said. “How… how long do we have?” 

"Just tonight. I want you well gone from us when they come to take us." That at least was true. He wanted Nagi well gone before either Rosen or DSS caught up with them. 

Nagi wiped at his eyes with the back of his hand. “So soon and there’s no way we can just keep running I guess?” There was the slightest vestige of hope in his voice. 

"They'll catch us somewhere and then there won't be any hope for any of us, Nagi." The American's voice was calm, steady, but inside he felt hollow. Everything he'd worked for was coming apart and he couldn't do anything but send Nagi away and hope that the boy would survive because, even though he was telling Nagi he would be okay, it wasn't certain. 

A lot would depend on Kudoh, and, even Weiss knew better than to rely completely on their playboy team mate. It was a last ditch hope, just as the subliminal mental message Brad had gotten Schuldig to implant all those weeks ago had been. It had been worth the attempt, that little bit of mental manipulation to get Kudoh make an effort to encourage Weiss to join them and he had to attribute the failure to Fujimiya's stubbornness. 

Nagi nodded, realizing the truth when he heard it. “Tsukiyono might just put in a word for me,” he said trying to put a brave face on things, “we sort of talk in chat rooms. He doesn’t seem that bad. It’s just a pity you let Schu and Farf play with him. If they hadn’t he might have seen the sense in joining forces with us.” 

"Go and talk to them. Beg for us if you think it will do any good. I'll..." Brad held the boy tighter, "do anything. Tell them that." he was fighting the growing desperation, trying to retain his cool, but all he could see for his own future was the darkness of finality. The cold embrace of Death. 

It wasn't that he really feared dying. What he hated was not knowing what would happen to Nagi. 

“I’ll go now,” Nagi said. “Tell Farf… never mind.” He didn’t dare pursue that line of thought or the tears would start to flow again. “If I can’t convince them to take me, what do I do?” He would try for all of them but he knew he would fail, knew this was the end of Schwarz. 

"If they won't take you, then..." Brad let the boy go, "run. You've got access to all of my accounts. You'll stand a chance on your own that you wouldn't have with us." 

Nagi nodded solemnly and climbed off Brad’s lap. The account numbers were in his head and access to a computer would give him access to them. Anything else he needed he could buy. 

He didn’t say goodbye, he couldn’t. Instead he turned his back on his ‘father’ and walked away. A few moments later the front door shut softly behind him. 

Brad took off his glasses and leaned back on the couch, letting a few silent tears slip from beneath his closed eyes. 

This was it. The end of the line. 

The end of Schwarz. 

* * * * * * * 

Kate glanced up as Jas returned from shepherding Weiss. She was just about to ask if there had been any problems when a strange look in his eyes stopped her. The tilt of his head told her he was listening to his ghostly sister but he seemed somewhat unnerved by whatever he thought she was saying. 

“Anything wrong, Jas?” she asked instead. 

The blond killer's lips twisted into a nasty grimace. He spun on the ball of his foot and started for the door he'd just entered. "Schwarz. They've sent Naoe to try and join up with Weiss. And Crawford was there too. They must be close by. Fuck. Tell Kei. I'm going back." 

Kate lost no time in finding Kei simply because she knew exactly where he was, playing chess with Issei. She passed Jas’s message on and waited to see if he wanted them all to move. 

Kei was still in his riding leathers since he hadn't been back at the house for more than a half an hour and now it looked as if he'd be in them for the rest of the day, and most likely part of the night too. 

He sighed and got to his feet. "Kate, I want you and Tsuki to come with me. Issei, you stay behind and keep Hisato out of trouble. Don't let Aki build any more timing devices in the living room either. One was more than enough this week." 

Issei smiled slightly at the remark about Aki but nodded his agreement. 

Kate went to drag Tsuki away from his computers, which wasn’t nearly as difficult as she’d expected it to be. The hacker was only too pleased to be given the chance to go with them. They both changed into mission clothes in record time and were downstairs and ready to go within moments. 

Aki was sitting in the living room looking decidedly unhappy, while Kei had a stern expression on his face that showed he'd already told Aki more than once that he couldn't go. 

He looked up at the two who'd just entered. "Good, let's go." He didn't wait for an answer, just started for the back door and the car park where their bikes were. 

They followed him quickly, Kate only stopping to pick up her rifle on the way and slip it into the specially designed carrier on her bike. There was the sound of roaring engines and then they were on their way. 

Kei activated the comm unit in his helmet, "We need to move fast. Jas has a ten minute head start and we've got to get there fast or he might do something I'll have to kill him for." 

“You want Naoe alive?” If that was the case, Kate wasn’t wholly surprised. The kid had a rare and very useful talent if he could be persuaded to use it against the organization he had once served. Also she could remember no occasions when the kid had killed. Reduced a mansion to so much rubble and, possibly, brought a half-witted girl back from death. She grimaced behind her visor. Best not to let Jas know that story. 

"If possible, yes, I'd like to recruit him. It was the rest of them that weren't viable." Kei muttered as they were forced to slow for heavy traffic, "We're going to have to watch Jas. He's more erratic this year than I've ever seen him and it's probably because of Weiss' impending integration into our team. This couldn't have come at a worse possible time." 

“You’re sure Weiss will integrate? I didn’t see Kudoh or Tsukiyono but Fujimiya is used to running the show and might not want to give that up.” She manoeuvred the heavy bike round a parked delivery truck with the ease of a master. 

Tsuki ventured a remark. “They’re very much a team, more than that even, they seem to know exactly what moves the others will make.” 

"They didn't like their lives under the thumb of Kritiker, but they did their jobs anyway. And yes, they do work well together... when nothing is ruining their mission focus. 

"I think they'll do what they have to in order to stay alive. If not..." he let his words trail off as they both knew exactly what he was getting at. 

Kate fell silent as she rode, wondering what Jas’s reaction to Prodigy was going to be. She knew what it was likely to be and that could easily get him killed. Although she’d never heard of the telekinetic actually attacking anyone she also knew that he was quite capable of doing so in self-defence. 

She frowned to herself as a new thought struck her. Why the hell had Jas gone rushing back like a mad thing? Unless he had gone to protect the Weiss redhead. 

That thought made her snigger as Fujimiya didn’t strike her as someone who actually needed protecting. 

The small sound came over Tsuki’s head piece and he turned to take a quick glance at her, wondering what was so funny. 

"We'd better make time once we get on the highway. I don't want to get up there and find out that he's killed anyone we need," Kei muttered into his headset. "I worry that he might accidentally take out part of Weiss. You know how much he hates change. Look how he still ignores Tsuki." 

If he was honest Tsuki was rather glad that Jas still ignored him. The blond was scary in ways that Kei simply wasn't unless he was pissed at you. But then it seemed to him that Jas ignored just about everyone bar Kei and Kate. 

“Frankly, Kei, Jas has the social skills of an amoeba,” Kate retorted. “Sure he communicates with you and me, but he doesn’t really talk. I know more about Tsuki’s likes and dislikes than I do about Jas’s. Hell, the man won’t even tell me what he does and doesn’t like to eat!” Although watching what he left on his plate, when he was eating at all, had taught her a lot. 

"I know. It's something I wish we had a solution to, but..." they could hear him sigh through the comm, "I can't even begin to guess what to do, except see how this whole thing with him and Fujimiya plays out. Gods help us, but I think we're going to see a lot of fireworks between those two before they sort themselves out." 

Kate grinned behind her visor. The fireworks might just do both men some good. Fujimiya seemed almost as repressed as Jas so it was going to be an interesting few months. 

“Seems to me they both strive for a perfection they can’t quite reach then sink into depression and self-loathing for their apparent weakness,” Tsuki offered. He’d never actually met Fujimiya but he’d done a great deal of research on Weiss and had been struck by his similarities to Jas. 

“Throw the much beloved sisters into the mix and they’re almost clones,” Kate agreed. 

"Except Jas' sister is dead and talks to him, and Fujimiya's sister is alive and probably hates him by now thanks to Kritiker," Kei added as they approached the highway. 

“Either way, they’ve both lost them, just as I lost my brother.” Having said that, Kate clammed up and concentrated on eating up the miles. Peter’s death still hurt as it had been so needless. 

"I always hoped that you'd be able to help him, but..." Kei left off the part where he'd hoped Jas could help Kate. But Jas was so distanced, so emotionally and mentally isolated in his own pain that he couldn't reach out to anyone for help. 

They reached the highway ramp Kei gunned his bike, vainly hoping they'd be able to catch up with the blond somewhere on the highway. 

* * * * * * * 

Nagi studied the farm for a moment or two before approaching any closer. He had teleported here and that always left him needing to replenish his talent before using it again and he wanted to be as strong as someone as upset as he was could be when facing Weiss. 

Kudoh. 

Kudoh was the key. Straightening his shoulders he stepped forward and marched up to the front door. Should he knock or simply open it? Better to knock, he supposed. Weiss were jumpy at the best of times. He rapped on the wood. 

Ken opened the door and just stared for a second. 

First Crawford had walked through the place without a word to either him or Omi, and now this. 

"What do you want?" 

He knew this had been a bad idea. “Crawford sent me. He wants me to seek sanctuary with you. He intends to…” He rubbed impatiently at the water stinging his eyes. “He says alone I have a chance. The others don’t.” 

Ken frowned, "Well this isn't a monastery so we don't do sanctuary." 

Nagi nodded. It was no more than he’d expected. I did try, Brad. He turned to walk away, shoulders drooping. Once again he was on his own. 

Ken shoved the door closed and turned to go back to the kitchen where Omi was making them something for dinner. 

"Who was there?" Yohji asked from the vicinity of the living room couch where he'd parked himself after his encounter with Aya. 

"No one important," Ken replied and walked past the blond. 

Yohji just gave his younger team mate a sour look and shoved himself up off the couch muttering about pig-headed ex-goalies. He pulled the door open to find Nagi walking away. 

"Hey, kid. Crawford won't give up will he? What did he send you to tell us now?" 

Nagi spun round, eyes blazing in the – almost – impassive face. “That he’s going to sacrifice himself, Schu and Farf, just so you smug, self-righteous bastards can live to fight another day!” It would really not be a good idea to pull their nice farm down round their ears but oh it was tempting. 

Hearing the commotion, Omi came to peer out into the darkness. “Who is it Yohji-kun?” He spotted Nagi and blinked. “Um… there’s enough dinner for five if you want some,” he offered. Then he smiled. “You are ‘LostSoul’ aren’t you, Nagi?” 

Yohji glanced at Omi, then turned his attention back on the Schwarz teen. "Take it easy, kid." He said as he took a hobbling step onto the porch. "And tell me what you mean. How is he sacrificing himself and--" he hesitated, reined in what he'd been about to say and ended with, "your team mates," rather than saying 'those bastard friends of yours' as he'd come close to doing. 

“He’s going to either fight alone or give in to Rosenkreuz just to save their lives,” Nagi said, no longer caring about the tears that were streaming down his cheeks. “Of course either way they die, either quickly, or by having their personalities wiped and their minds twisted until they’re no longer them. I think they’ll fight and die rather than do that.” 

He glanced at the two blonds on the farm’s porch. “He sent me here to offer my help to you and the team you’ve joined. If you don’t want it, then fine, I’ve managed alone before, I can do it again.” 

Yohji glanced at Omi. "If you don't mind him being here, Omi, I'll vote to let him stay, but… Aya's not going to like it and well we already know what Ken had to say on it.” 

“It’s not up to Ken, or me,” Aya’s deep voice said from the shadows of the hallway. “It’s up to our new masters to decide.” He stepped forward, carefully not looking at Yohji, his gaze steady on the telekinetic. Then he surprised everyone by saying, “I’m sorry.” 

Yohji wished that apology was for him, but he wasn't that delusional even with a few shots of whiskey in him to dull the pain of memories he didn't want, and a rejection by a lover he hadn't quite had. 

They'd been so close. So very close. 

He backed away from the other two, "I need to sit down," he told them, using his ankle as an excuse to not be so close to Aya. 

Outside Nagi was staring at Aya. He knew that Brad and the others had always had a lot of respect for the redhead, Brad even going so far as to say he was sure Aya had talent of some description. “Thank you,” he whispered. The platitude actually meant something on the lips of this particular kitten. 

“So,” Omi said with his usual breeziness, “you’d better come in.” 

Nagi glanced at Aya who nodded before frowning at the sound of a distant motorbike. “I think our personal bodyguard might be coming back.” 

Yohji glanced down the road, "It might be a good idea to get the kid out of sight, don't you think? I mean if it's that blond asshole, it might not be a good idea for him to find Prodigy on our porch." 

Omi beckoned to Nagi to follow him and went back into the farmhouse. Aya stepped aside so the telekinetic could enter. “Ignore Hidaka,” he advised. Then he turned all his attention on the road and the approaching motorbike. 

Yohji followed the Schwarz boy into the house, "Go upstairs. You should be able to find the room that's mine. You can stay with me if you want, but either way, it might be a good idea for you to go on up until we make sure of who's coming." 

Nagi solemnly nodded his agreement and climbed the stairs. 

Outside, Aya watched the motorbike approach down the dirt drive. The shape of the lean body told him it was the blond back again and, when he pulled to a halt and pulled off his helmet he was proved right. 

“You didn’t stay long enough to forget anything,” he said, “so what do you want?” 

"Prodigy is here and he's not staying," Jas replied as he dismounted from his bike and pulled his helmet off. 

He pulled out the katana concealed in the frame of his bike then started toward the farm house. "It's a good idea for you to stay out of my way. This might just get messy," the blond stated. 

Of all the arrogant bastards this one was in a class of his own. Aya deliberately stepped in front of the blond his own katana hissing from its saya. “Yes, it might.” 

Frost grey eyes narrowed. 

_No Jas,_ a voice in his head cried out. 

But he wasn't listening to _her_ right now. All he wanted to do was take the annoying red-haired man down. 

"If that's how you want it..." the blond whispered his tone full of menace. Jas' katana sang through the air toward the former Weiss swordsman. 

Aya easily blocked the blow with his saya although part of his mind admired the other man’s speed. Fast or not he wasn’t getting into the house to get himself killed by a frightened telekinetic. He swung his own sword one handed towards the blond’s side. 

But Jas wasn't there; he'd evaded the sweep of Aya's katana, his own darting in going for the red-head's face. 

Aya dodged back, fast as light, his katana having followed through from his own sweep, came up to protect his face. He didn’t think their new leader would be too happy if he actually killed this son of a bitch so he was relieved when he heard approaching motorbikes. He really hated fighting defensively. 

The saya swept out and struck the blond’s shins. 

There was a harsh smile on the blond's mouth as the saya struck his shins. In the protection of the heavy motorcycle boots he didn't even feel it. 

"Nice try, kitty," he said and stepped inside Aya's guard, their swords locking, metal grating sharply as he exerted force, trying to drive the slender man backward. 

But there was surprising strength in that slender body and Aya held his ground. “For a gaigun you’re reasonably good,” he acknowledged. Then he flicked out his other hand and hit Jas over the head with the saya. “But I fight dirty.” 

"So do I," the blond said as he shoved harder against the other man, then drove a knee into Aya's groin. 

The leather coat and pants did little to stop the pain but Aya was renowned for his focus and now was no different. Quick as thought he hooked a foot round the leg Jas was standing on and took it out from under him. There was nowhere for the blond to go except sideways onto the ground. 

The point of Aya’s katana was immediately at the blond’s throat although there was a faint gleam of respect in the cold lilac eyes. 

Omi and Ken, who had come out on the porch to both watch and as second line defence, were amazed to see Aya remove the point of his katana from the other man’s throat, bend over him and kiss him fiercely. 

Jas froze. The kiss burned through him, sent a jolt of desire right to his groin and he moaned and reached up to grip the red hair at the nape of the Weiss swordsman's neck, trying to pull Aya down on top of him. 

Dimly he was aware that his sister was laughing with delight. 

Upstairs a pair of jade green eyes regarded the scene below with no little anger and a great deal of pain. "So would the odds change for Schwarz if I join up with you?" Yohji asked as he let the pain burn deep, let it rip his heart to shreds, purging himself of the man he could never have. 

Nagi gazed at the tall blond, a hint of compassion in his dark blue eyes. He knew what it felt like to leave a lover and a father behind. “Not enough,” he said sadly. “And even if all four of you had joined us, I seriously doubt that we’d have had the power to take on all our enemies.” 

He glanced out of the window as three more motorbikes drew to a halt in the farmyard. 

“With them we stand a chance,” he said, “but it’s too late for Crawford, Schuldig and Farfarello. They are already too damaged and tired.” 

"I know the feeling, kid" Yohji replied, his voice bitter. "I know it all too well." 

Nagi turned then, his expression stormy. “No,” he said, “you don’t. You weren’t taken from your family by force when still a child. You weren’t put through the most sadistic and evil ‘training’ of your talent until you had little humanity left then sent out to use it to your masters’ greater glory.” 

The expression faded. “You’re tired and hurting and that I can relate to, but you’re not damaged in the way they are.” 

Yohji turned around and regarded the boy through hooded eyes, "No I wasn't. I was forced to try and live up to expectations I could never meet no matter how hard I tried. I lost my love, nearly died, and wound up working for Kritiker where I fell in love with someone that doesn't love me. We've all got our own crosses, kid. You, them, me." He shrugged, "Learning to kill for Kritiker wasn't a party, but it's all I know how to do. That and make half-assed flower arrangements." 

“And how to wallow in self pity,” Nagi added ruthlessly. “Nevertheless, thank you for taking me in and for trying to protect me.” His attention turned back to the window. The bike riders had dismounted and were approaching the house. He knew it was the one with the red and black hair he had to impress and waited developments, true feelings hidden behind his impassive front. 

"Brad's an expert in that, isn't he? Self-pity. I guess seeing the future makes that pretty easy. You can just see what's going to happen and give up," Yohji snapped back. "So much for promising to keep us safe from RK." 

Yohji limped away from the window. "It's so nice to be loved," he snarled as he headed for the stairs. 

“Don’t,” Nagi said softly. “Please, don’t.” 

He followed the blond, knowing that now was the time to show himself to the newcomers. 

Kei got off his bike and regarded the odd tableau with a mix of amusement and wariness. There were two possible ways this could go, and one would be messy and require he step in while the other one... well it could get equally messy but in a very different way. 

Jas was still on the ground regarding Aya with puzzled confusion. He'd let another man kiss him. More to the point he'd enjoyed it enough to return the kiss. 

"Do you always kiss the men you defeat?" he asked Aya. 

Aya, looking equally confused, shook his head. “Normally I kill them,” he said truthfully. He knew he ought to apologise for his rash action but he was damned if he was going to as he’d enjoyed the kiss far too much. Instead he got to his feet and reached out a hand for the blond to take if he should want to. 

Meanwhile, Kate’s attention was on the farm and the two young men who looked as if they’d been sandbagged. She smiled to herself until movement at the doorway resolved itself into Kudoh and the telekinetic. Kudoh looked distraught and she realised that he too must have seen the strange ending to the fight. She studied him and decided that she could like what she was seeing if he pulled out of self-destruct mode. 

Jas took the offered hand and stood there looking at the red-haired swordsman with a tinge of new found respect in his grey eyes. Without warning Jas threw an arm around the other man and kissed him fiercely. 

Yohji ignored what was going on with Aya and the asshole and hobbled out onto the porch, setting one hand on Ken's shoulder to steady himself. 

"Sorry about the ankle," Ken mumbled. 

"Yeah, whatever," Yohji replied sourly. 

Ken glanced at Omi with one eyebrow raised in question, as if asking the other teen if he had any idea what was going on between Yohji and Aya this time. 

Omi merely shrugged and shook his head at Ken’s unspoken question. Nagi caught his attention then and he smiled reassuringly at him. If the people on the bikes didn’t want the telekinetic he would do his best to make sure he was allowed to walk away at least. 

Strange how he had never blamed Nagi for what had happened to Ouka. The rest of Schwarz he hated with a passion, but the other teen had become almost a friend of sorts. 

Nagi didn’t smile but did nod back. Then his eyes, like everyone else’s, were drawn to the inconceivable sight of Aya and the DSS blond locked in a passionate clinch. He blinked back tears as he thought of his lost Farf. 

Aya’s arms had gone round Jas and he had returned his kiss, their tongues warring for dominance in the same way as they had fought for it. A strange thought crossed his mind. Finally he had met his equal. It excited him and he suddenly had some hope for the future. 

Jas held the other man tighter, refusing to be the one to give ground in their battle. Their tongues were locked as fiercely as their swords had been, and the blond wondered if sex would be like this, a war of wills. 

He didn't know, but he suspected from the way the red-haired man was holding him that the Weiss killer had more experience in that arena than he did. 

Jas moved a hand from Aya's back to the man's crotch and shoved his hand inside the man's mission coat. Aya's cock was as hard as his own was, and he rubbed it with the flat of his palm. He could feel Aya's pulse even through the leather pants he wore. 

Kei was watching the two men aware that he'd seldom seen anything so hot as the pair of killers kissing passionately. He'd also never expected to see Jas doing it. 

He turned to Kate, "That explains a lot, don't you think?" he asked her via comm, not wanting to remind the men they had quite an audience. 

Yohji couldn't breathe, his chest feeling as if it was full of concrete, and the only thought that bubbled to the surface of his brain was the desire to kill the son of a bitch who was taking his Aya from him. Tears blurred his vision and he took a step forward, his hand going for his watch. 

Instead of following through with that motion Yohji turned and went inside the farm house because he'd thought of a better solution to the pain tearing him apart. 

Kei frowned. "Kate, I don't think anyone else noticed, but Kudoh just went inside, and I don't think he went in just to have a beer. Go keep him from doing anything stupid, please. I'll watch to make sure these two don't go back to fighting with their katanas instead of their mouths." 

Kate nodded and stepped around the still oblivious couple. Talk about lust at first sight! It might just be what both of them needed, a release from the constant loneliness. She supposed that Kudoh had hoped to be that release for Fujimiya and she wasn’t quite sure why he wasn’t. He was every bit as attractive as Jas and, although he had as many hang-ups, they weren’t the repressed sort that Silence suffered from. 

She took off her helmet and gave Naoe Nagi a brief smile as she went. His pain would have to wait. Luckily he was a lot more stoical than Kudoh. 

She entered the farmhouse to find Kudoh throwing his wire over a convenient beam. Thinking quickly she took two running steps forward before a roundhouse kick connected with his solar plexus effectively knocking him away from the wire and all the wind out of him at the same time. 

“Don’t be a damned fool!” 

Yohji lay there on the floor where he fell, coughing from having the breath knocked out of him, too emotionally numb to do more than let a few tears seep out of his eyes. 

It had been so close. He'd almost had what he wanted most in life. Aya. 

He felt hollow. As if he were nothing but a corpse struggling for life when only death remained. 

He finally sat up and looked at the person who'd stopped him from ending it. 

A woman. One of the DSS killers. He thought she went by the name of Shadow. Without being aware that he was doing it, Yohji took in her sleek shape and the beauty of her face. In her way she was as beautiful as Aya. He didn't even know he was staring into her eyes. Eyes as green as his own. Bright as warm sunlight through the leaves of a tree. 

"I've been a damned fool my whole life, why change that now?" he asked her softly as he looked away. 

“Perhaps because your life has changed,” she suggested. “Tell me to mind my own business if you like, but was that little demonstration in the yard the reason for this?” She indicated the dangling wire. “If it was… I’m sorry but if Fujimiya is as much like Jas as I think he is, it would never have worked.” She frowned at another thought. 

“Anyway, according to your dossier, you’re supposed to be straight.” And why the hell did it matter to her? 

"Not quite straight," he murmured, not really talking to her. "Just not attracted to most men. Aya..." he sighed, "was different from the first time I saw him. So cold and untouchable. Deadly grace that took my breath away and so beautiful at the same time. I fell for him hard and it made any thought of sleeping with other men pointless. I knew there was no one else like him, no other man would take his place in my heart." He gave a bitter laugh, "It was stupid for me to ever admit that to him. I'd say he doesn't give a shit how he's made me feel, how much..." his voice broke and he just shook his head. He'd gotten a taste of his Heaven only to have it taken away. 

"My life never changes except to get worse. I'm sick of the downhill spiral." He was staring at nothing, but what he was seeing was Aya locked in an impassioned embrace with the man he knew as Silence. Of all the pain he'd ever felt in his life, this was the worst, right on par with Asuka's death. 

So something had happened between the two men and within the last few hours if she was any judge. If that was the case Fujimiya sank quite considerably in her estimation. To give someone a taste of what they wanted and then snatch it away again was cruelty of a kind that only Jas would consider. The two were well suited. 

“Sometimes it helps just to talk to someone who will listen,” she said, “someone else who understands pain.” 

Yohji shook his head. "I tried that," he replied despondently. "And I thought he understood... but I was wrong. So very wrong." 

He pushed himself to his feet, glanced at the wire that was still draped over the beam then pulled it down, ran it through his hands for a moment then rolled it up and shoved it into his pocket. There was no sense in letting Aya know just how much he'd been hurt. All he'd get would be more grief with Aya telling him how much of a fool he was. 

And he was a fool for telling Aya how much he wanted the younger man. A damned fool. 

"When you're in hell, don't fall in love with any of the devils," he muttered as he limped toward the kitchen with the intention of drinking every beer he had left. It was easier than dealing with the pain. Even when it was pain he'd known was coming. 

He hadn't believed. 

But Crawford had never lied to him. 

Unlike a certain red-head who'd claimed to at least want him. 

Kate sighed. There was nothing further she could do for now. She followed Kudoh into the kitchen and noticed with some satisfaction that there were only a couple of cans of beer left in the fridge. He wouldn’t be able to get too drunk but whether that was a good or bad thing she wasn’t quite sure. 

She turned away, intending to give Naoe some comfort, only to find the boy talking to Tsukiyono. As long as the tiny blonde wasn’t as poisonous as the rest of his family he shouldn’t do any harm. 

She went back into the living room pulling the comm unit from her helmet as she went and fitting it to her ear. “All clear in here… for now,” she reported quietly, “though Fujimiya has really done a number on Kudoh. It might be wise to separate them for a while.” 

"I think we'll move Fujimiya into the house with us. He's really the one I'm most interested in anyway. He and Jas are going to want time together and I think that will be good for them both. It will also get Abyssinian well away from Balinese," Kei replied to her via comm. He still hadn't taken his helmet off. 

Jas stepped away from Aya and just stood there regarding him coolly. His heart was racing, the blood hammering through his groin urgently. It surprised him how much he wanted the other man, and he had the ingrained desire to fight the attraction. 

But that would mean turning tail and running, and he'd never liked to run from a fight. Retreat and regroup, yes. But turn tail and run, no. 

Ken leaned close to Omi and whispered, "Hey, didn't you tell me Yohji is in love with Aya?" 

Omi turned worried blue eyes to his lover. “Yes,” he said sadly. He was pleased to notice that the clinch had finally come to an end and both men were motionless, staring solemnly at each other. His heart sank as he thought of Yohji’s unrequited love for the redhead because what he was seeing between the two was nothing short of electric. 

Tsuki shifted uncomfortably, not sure why he was here even. He was no use with distraught people, that skill was Kate’s forte; he wasn’t any good in a sword fight either. He should have stayed home with his computers. 

Kei turned to Tsuki, still speaking through his comm. "I want you to go in and help Tsukiyono and Naoe set up the computers in the house. Take your time and make sure they're set up with the highest security configuration you know. I'm going to need them to do some digging in their old organizations databases." 

He considered it for a moment, switched to private mode between himself and Shadow, then said, "Kate, why don't you stay here and just hang around, get to know our new team mates a bit. I'll want a report on their state of mind... especially Kudoh when you come back. He's even more unstable than Jas and that worries me. I'm afraid he'll be more of a liability than an aid to us, and we just can't afford to harbour any liabilities. If he is, you know what has to be done. Be discreet." He made it a point to tell her what he expected of her should Kudoh prove too unstable. 

"Mount up Jas, and bring your new friend," Kei ordered. "Kate and Tsuki will be staying here for a while." 

Aya stared at the helmeted figure. He felt like he’d just woken from a dream and that bothered him. “I can’t just leave,” he said, “what if Crawford comes back?” His eyes widened as he realized what Crawford’s uninvited visit had done and he took an involuntary step towards the house only to be held back by a strong arm. The frisson that ran through him at the touch told him exactly whose arm it was. 

“I understand,” Kate said into her comm before taking it off and heading for the kitchen. Somebody had started to prepare dinner by the looks of things so she continued the preparations adding enough rice to feed two more mouths. 

Tsuki removed his helmet after nodding his acquiescence. At least his presence made sense now. He entered the house, smiling at the three young men on the porch as he did so. 

Jas tightened his grip around the red-head, enjoying the feel of restraining the other man, of denying him something he wanted even if it was just to retreat from the situation. Jas pressed his face into the other man's hair, took a deep breath and let it out so it ruffled Aya's hair, tickling his ear. "You can and you will" he murmured, voice gone soft and sexy without him even realizing it. "Kei doesn't accept questions to any of his orders, so you'd better get used to that right now." 

"And don't worry about Crawford. The people here are capable of handling themselves, and he's not interested in them anyway. It's you he's after. He'll come where you are." The man grinned fiercely, "And if he bothers to show up I'll have a special welcome ready just for him." 

He pulled the swordsman toward his bike. "Come on, Kei isn't going wait for us." 

And Kei wasn't. He'd already started his bike and was turning it around, ready to leave. 

“I’m not going all the way to Tokyo on that!” 

"Yes you..." Jas stumbled and fell hard against Aya. "Shit... oh shit..." 

He let Aya go and ran for his bike. "Schwarz is at the house. Those bastards have attacked us!" he snarled. 

“Wait!” Nagi shouted. “Let me come with you, I might be able to stop them.”


	7. Chapter 7

## Chapter 7

Issei sighed. The melody was eluding him so he packed away the portable keyboard and headed downstairs. He couldn’t settle to anything, couldn’t concentrate. He didn’t know why but he had a premonition that all was not right. 

Hisato was standing in the kitchen sipping a cup of tea and wondering what was happening up at the farm house. The rest of the team had been gone for well over two hours and he wondered what had happened. By now they had to have arrived at the place, but it probably wouldn't occur to anyone to call them. 

He noticed movement in the garden, something bigger than the usual stray cat or dog that he sometimes saw prowling around out there. He stepped closer to the door and peered into the night, not able to see exactly what was out there. 

Issei wandered into the living room to find it empty. Well at least Aki wasn’t building timers and detonators in there. A sound from the kitchen made him go that way. 

Hisato stood by the open sliding doors and squinted into the shadows, trying to figure out what he was looking at. He rubbed at his eyes and frowned. It looked almost like a person but the form kept blurring. 

*Do it! You know you want to!* Schuldig’s mental command wasn’t directed at either Hisato or Issei, but at Aki who was the easiest of the three to control. *Which one of them do you want dead, Brad? I’ve got total control of the little one.* What he didn’t realize was that someone had control of both him and Brad. 

He was rather pleased when he received his answer and set Aki in motion. _How dare that bastard die his hair the same colour as mine?_

Issei entered the kitchen and stopped in his tracks, shock rendering him about as much use as a rabbit caught in headlights. He had no way of knowing that it wasn’t simple shock that held him motionless as the unspeakable happened in front of his very eyes. 

Aki was holding a gun on Hisato just outside the kitchen doors. He had both hands wrapped around the grip of the big pistol-- it was one of Jas'-- and he was holding it levelled on Hisato who just stood there, eyes full of terror. 

"Aki.... what... what's wrong? Talk to me. Why are you...?" 

But the bass player of Shadow Soul never got to finish his question. The small drummer pulled the trigger, blowing a hole in the other man's face and breaking his left wrist at the same time. 

Tears streaking his face Aki crumpled to the ground and sat there crying, the gun still gripped in his right hand. 

Finally, Issei could move. He took one look at the wreckage that had been Hisato’s head and realized he was beyond any hope that he could offer. So he went to the distraught drummer and cradled the smaller man in his arms. 

He knew, beyond shadow of a doubt that Aki would never have done such a thing without there being something horribly wrong. What that something was he had no way of knowing. 

Aki held on to Issei and sobbed out his anguish. He hadn't been able to resist the voice in his head that told him to kill his friend. He'd tried. He'd tried so very hard, but it had been stronger. 

"Sss..." he was trying to talk, trying to tell Issei that he didn't mean to kill Hisato. He wanted to tell him who'd made him do it, but the words wouldn't come out. And his head and wrist hurt so bad. 

But nothing could hurt as bad as what he'd done. 

“Shush,” Issei said soothingly as he rocked the drummer like a baby. He couldn’t help but wonder why Hisato and not him. Was it just bad luck that the bassist had been the one standing by the door or had he been deliberately targeted? 

Issei knew it had been deliberate, why else had he been unable to move, unable to stop it? And why had Hisato simply stood there instead of disarming Aki which he should have been quite capable of doing? 

He gently removed the gun from Aki’s grasp and threw it across the kitchen floor with some venom. To use gentle Akira in this way was beyond sadistic. 

Aki began to wail his grief and pain, his gaze riveted on what he'd done. 

He'd killed his friend. 

Kei's half brother was lying there dead and it was his fault. His. 

Issei stood up carrying the slight drummer with him. His left hand was dangling at an odd angle and needed dealing with and he also needed to be out of this room and away from what he’d been made to do. 

He held him close, feelings that he’d buried for so long rising to the surface once again. He shook his head, trying to clear it. Now was not the time for that no matter how tempting. 

Aki couldn't stop wailing as he hung on to Issei with his one good hand and pressed his face to the other man's shoulder. "M...m...ade m... m... mee..." he choked out. "M...m...ade.... mee... d... do..." the rest of what he was trying to say was lost in the sobbing 

The roar of fast approaching motorcycles came to Issei from down the street. 

Only two of the four but the timbre of their roar told him both bikes were double loaded. Now what had happened? Had they lost two of the bikes? 

He wasn’t sure if he was relieved by or dreading Kei’s arrival. Hisato’s death was going to … he wasn’t sure what it was going to do but he guessed it wouldn’t be pretty. But Aki was still hysterical and he wouldn’t leave him alone. 

Aya climbed off Jas’s bike, strangely enough feeling a lot better than he had when on the back of Ken’s, and stared at the house. There were several lights on and all looked calm but he still had the feeling that something was very badly wrong. 

Nagi climbed off Kei’s bike frowning. All the way here he’d been trying to reach Brad through the Schwarz link but neither he nor Schuldig had responded. He’d felt their presences but there had been something very ‘off’ about them. 

Kei got off his bike, removed his helmet and paused, motionless. He could smell blood, the acrid odor of cordite from gunfire. But it was faint so it hadn't been a full-out gunfight. No, a single bullet, maybe two at the most. 

He looked at Jas and Aya, motioning the blond toward the house. 

Jas just stared at him, then shrugged and Kei frowned. Jas and he always took point when going into an unknown situation. The fact that Silence had not instantly moved toward the house was so out of character he wondered what was going on in his team mate's head. 

_Maybe he's just distracted by the lust he feels for Abyssinian. If it's going to effect him like this, he's not going to be of much use until he gets back into focus. Damn, we do not need complications._

Kei pulled his pistol from beneath his jacket and moved slowly toward the house. It was so quiet he instinctively knew something was very wrong. 

Instead of Jas appearing by his side it was Aya, katana drawn, his focus entirely on the house. 

*Hello Nagikins!* Nagi stood silent, his mind, apart from his surface thoughts totally closed down to the telepath. He concentrated on the tone of mental voice, the wording, the feelings behind the thoughts and found things to be very wrong. Especially when Schuldig’s mind tried to take over his. Gasping he broke the link. 

Schwarz had been compromised. 

He glanced at the blond that Fujimiya seemed to like, this group’s talent. He could feel it there too, the touch of an alien mind. He wasn’t sure he could break the link with telekinesis. 

Kei glanced at Aya, nodded and headed for the house, gun ready, his steps a fast soundless glide. 

Jas studied Nagi with a cool intensity. He got off his bike, took off his helmet and set it down. Quick as thought he spun around with his pistol aimed at Kei's back. 

There was a shrill ululating scream and Farfarello leaped out of the shrubs by the house to tackle the blond killer, the pair of them rolling across the pavement struggling for control of the gun. 

*Don’t kill him, Farf. I think he’s possessed. Did Brad send you here?* But his lover wasn’t listening, being too lost in the bloodlust to notice. Sighing slightly he removed the Irishman from the fight and held both him and Jas motionless after tossing the gun into the shrubbery. 

Aya knew that sound and spun round to meet this new threat just in time to see the blond aim his gun at his leader before Farfarello crashed into him. He wondered how the blond would deal with that only to find that Nagi had the situation under control for now. He was actually beginning to like the telekinetic. He turned back and followed Kei into the house. 

The DSS leader was crouched down beside what was left of his team mate. His face was blank, but his entire pose was tense, and the hand that touched the dead man's throat was shaking ever so slightly. It was the only sign of the grief that filled him. 

There was no pulse but he hadn't expected one. 

There was a gun on the floor and he picked it up, sniffed the barrel and frowned. He knew the gun. It belonged to Jas and it had been fired. But Jas hadn't been there to use it. 

Kei frowned, and whispered to Aya, "This is Jas' gun. He keeps it under his pillow. I don't know why it would be down here, but it's been used in the last half hour or less." 

A wail of agony came from farther in the house and Kei rose to his feet, head up, listening. There were no sounds of conflict, no sense of intruders remaining in the house. 

"The rest of them are gone," he told the former Weiss as he headed for the sound of a voice he knew very well. "That's Aki. He's either hurt or something terrible has happened to him," he informed the swordsman as they went in the direction of the screaming. 

Issei had taken Aki into the living room and now sat on one of the couches cradling the hysterical drummer and wondering if he’d gone mad with what he’d been made to do. 

When Kei and Aya entered he raised haunted eyes to gaze at them. “Aki shot Hisato,” he said quietly. “He says he was made to do it and I believe him because neither Hisato nor I could move to stop him.” 

Aya gazed impassively back although he recognized the sound the smaller of the two men was making. It was extreme grief and he knew it all too well. The other man’s words made sense in the light of what he’d just seen in the garden. 

Kei stopped and just stood there, mind going numb with the revelation. "Aki... killed Hisato?" He closed his eyes, his pistol lowered, shoulders slumping. 

Under normal circumstances there was no possible way Aki could have done the bassist in, even with Hisato unarmed it shouldn't have happened. Aki was a terrible shot and Hisato could have easily disarmed the younger man. 

Kei's whole body went rigid, lips pressed into a tight line. "Schwarz and that damned telepath that Jas didn't kill. Those bastards are going to pay for this! I'm not going to rest until they're all dead." 

Filled with rage, Kei turned and headed back outside. He could start with the Irish lunatic in the back yard and deal with the telekinetic while he was at it. 

Aya’s arm shot out and grabbed Kei. “Wait,” he said. “If I’m right two of Schwarz just saved your life.” Cool lilac eyes held intense dark brown in their gaze. “Silence just tried to kill you. Farfarello saved your life. There’s more going on here than Mastermind alone could accomplish.” 

Kei pulled free of the swordsman's hold, but he didn't move. He was listening to what Aya had to say even though he wanted very much to go out and put a bullet into Farfarello's head. 

He looked up, or perhaps put one between the violet eyes of the Weiss. 

“Think about it. Nagi said Crawford was thinking of going back to Essett or whatever they’re called now. That man fought far too hard to be free to go back willingly.” 

He glanced at the couple on the couch. “Your friend just told you that he and the man who was shot could do nothing to stop what happened. That means that at least three or four telepaths had to be involved. I don’t think Schwarz attacked, at least not voluntarily. I think it was Essett.” 

Kei rubbed his right temple and frowned. "Rosenkreuz. Schuldig isn't the only telepath they've ever had. He's probably not their best either." 

He swayed on his feet, suddenly dizzy and his knees started to buckle as pain lanced through his skull. He did something none of his team mates would have believed possible, he actually gasped from the pain. 

Aya did something then that he’d never even attempted before. He spread his shields to cover the Darkness. He almost smiled at the irony. He’d covered his own darkness for so long it should be relatively simple to hide that of the other man too. 

Kei sank to his knees, but realized the pain in his head was gone, along with the urge to kill. He raised his head to look at the other man, "You're doing this aren't you? You're keeping them from reaching my mind." 

Aya looked somewhat confused. “Mastermind has never been able to touch me, even just after my parents were killed and I was just as full of grief and rage as you are now. He was able to ‘talk’ to me but not to take over. Over the years I’ve quietly honed that skill because I hated him so much and didn’t ever want to ‘hear’ him again. I had no idea, until now, that I could protect someone else.” 

So much was going on in his own head that he said no more but he had all the pieces now, Weiss’s stupid errors, Silence being dumb enough to attack them at the shop, Crawford’s talk of returning to Rosenkreuz and the control of three members of this team until one of them killed another. Now he just had to sit down with the others and put them together. 

Kei got to his feet, his head still ached, but it was just pain now, not an invasion. He could tell the difference from just this first instance. "I can keep Mastermind out of my head too, but I can't protect anyone else. And..." he frowned the expression turning his face into a harsh mask, "this definitely wasn't Mastermind. It was more brutal, and..." he shook his head, "well Schuldig's mental touch is almost like a seduction, this was blunt effort to subsume my own thoughts." 

“They’re playing divide and conquer. Tell me something honestly; have there been many silly mistakes in your team recently? You know how off our game we became, I almost as much as the others. I’m willing to bet that some of you were, too. And I think two of Schwarz are in trouble though not the two outside.” 

Kei's expression went thoughtful. "Jas has never made a mistake in his life... until he went head to head with Weiss." Then another thought occurred to him, "He let you kiss him and then he kissed you back. That is completely out of the usual scope of behaviour for him. He's about as sexual as a rock normally." 

Aya scoffed as the irony of that hit him. “So am I, yet now suddenly I am in the strange position of having two men wanting me…” His eyes widened. Why exactly had Crawford arrived exactly when he did? To deliberately stop what was about to happen? And if Yohji felt as strongly about it as he seemed to… 

“I take it Jas is Silence? Is his talent one that could be easily manipulated? If it is…” 

If it was he had the unedifying prospect of his own strong attraction being mirrored rather than returned. “I think someone wanted Kudoh to kill either Jas or me.” 

"Either that or they expected one of you to kill Balinese. Either way, we have some serious problems to deal with." 

Kei got off the floor and headed for the back of the house. Two members of Schwarz were currently outside and he needed as much information on RK and what they were facing as could be gotten from the pair. 

Nagi continued to hold both men away from each other as he talked Farfarello down from his bloodlust. Strangely he felt that his lover would be the more reasonable of the two of them with things the way they were. 

When Farfarello responded with words that were not full of hatred and the desire to kill, he loosened his hold on him. A slight change in the air heralded the return of the other two and he just hoped the DSS leader was suitably grateful. If he wasn’t, or if Rosen had gotten to him too, he and the Irishman were going to die very soon. Suddenly afraid for Farfarello rather than himself he hugged his lover close. 

"Mindbender had control of Brad and I think Berger got to Schuldig," he told the boy softly as he watched the approach of the DSS and Weiss leaders. If either of them made a move to hurt Nagi he would tear them apart, or at least distract them enough for Nagi to escape. 

Nagi nodded. It was something they could tell the pair in order to stay alive. He turned in Farfarello’s arms, ready to face whatever the two men had decided. 

Aya gazed at the two in some shock. He’d never thought of Farfarello having a lover, especially not clever Naoe. He risked a quick glance at Jas only to find that none of his desire for the DSS blond had abated. 

Silence was lying on the pavement, eyes open but dulled. He seemed only vaguely aware of his surroundings which was probably just as well since he really wanted to get up and kill someone. Anyone would do. But right now it was just too difficult to do more than lay there. 

"He's been drugged?" Kei asked going to his team mate and crouching down beside him to get a better look at his condition. 

“Thorazine,” Nagi said. “Farfarello only wanted to stop him doing anything stupid but it’s hard for him to keep control in any sort of fight. 

“The good news is, telepaths hate Farf's mind so they stay out of it, thinking of him as little more than an animalistic killing machine.” He shrugged. “Their loss and stupidity. Crawford and Schuldig weren’t so lucky and are being controlled by Mindbender and Berger, respectively.” 

"We're going to need all the information you can provide us with so we have a better idea how to fight your former masters," Kei told the boy. "It's why I didn't object to your presence at the farm house. I realized that your abilities as a hacker, along with a greater familiarity with the workings of Rosenkreuz can only be of benefit." He stood and eyed the Irishman, his expression dubious, "And if Berserker won't try to kill us out of hand he can stay also, so long as you can promise me he won't go on a rampage and start murdering innocents." 

Nagi scoffed and shook his head. “He never kills his own and he has good reason for his hatred of the Catholic Church: one provided by Rosenkreuz which left him viewing the clergy like Fujimiya views the Takatori. As far as I know they’re the only ‘innocents’ he’s ever killed. 

“He was the one who worked out what’s happened to Brad and Schuldig so he has a good mind under his psychosis and, as Rosenkreuz ‘trained’ him a better idea of their inner workings than I have.” 

He finally stepped away from Farfarello, but still kept hold of one of his hands, as he stared down at Jas. “It looks as if one of the Rosenkreuz telepaths has control of him too. It would be very easy to pretend to be his…ghost.” 

He glanced up at Aya. “Kudoh is also acting irrationally.” 

Aya thought about the two men in the house, one hysterical the other feeling desperately guilty. “Three others were also controlled tonight, leading to one killing another.” 

Nagi nodded and bit his lip knowing that Brad and Schuldig would be behind that even though it was the last thing they would want if not controlled. They both knew just how much their side needed sheer numbers in order to fight. 

Kei glanced from Aya to Nagi. "Any idea on how we prevent RK from regaining control of their chosen victims?" 

Farfarello was watching Silence, his single amber eye taking in the dull-eyed stare of the drugged man. "Drugs don't release them from being controlled but it does make it harder for a telepath to actually get them to do anything." He motioned at Jas, "He still wants to kill someone, I can see it in his eyes." 

Aya was beginning to wonder if that was the normal state of mind for the blond, but then again, who was he to judge? But if Berserker was right, and he was still possessed… And while Crawford and Schuldig were being controlled none of them was safe. For the first time in his life he wondered just how many people he could shield. 

Deciding to try the experiment he pushed out with his shields until Jas, as well as Kei, was covered. He glanced at Farfarello. “Is there any difference in his eyes now?” 

But the answer was obvious to everyone when Jas said, "Bastard... telepath... be careful..." then his eyes closed and he slipped into the drug's embrace. 

"I think that makes my point," Farfarello stated. 

"Yes, I believe it does. The question now is what do we do next?" Kei asked his gaze on Aya. 

Aya turned to the two Schwarz. “How close to their… victim does a telepath need to be to take control of their mind?” 

Nagi’s eyes widened suddenly. “To take total control of even a mundane’s mind they have to be within two or three city blocks,” he said. “When Schuldig played with Tsukiyono and the girl he got in very close to them.” He glanced at Jas. “To take control of a talent they’d have to be even closer unless they’re a lot stronger than Schuldig.” 

“If what you’re saying about Schuldig and Crawford is true then at least two of them are stronger than he is. Another question for you, how many telepaths would be needed to control them and Jas while making a bid for someone else’s mind?” 

“If Mindwarp is controlling Brad’s visions in order to make him act in certain ways, he could also pretend to be his ghost.” He indicated Jas with his head. “Berger is an attacking telepath. He doesn’t have Mindwarp’s or Schuldig’s subtlety but he can take over more than one mind at a time if his hype is to be believed.” 

Aya let out a breath he’d not realised he’d been holding. Visions of armies of telepaths faded to be replaced with two in the immediate vicinity and perhaps a third near the farm to control Yohji. 

“If I shielded you both, do you think you and Silence could kill them?” he asked Kei. 

"Not with him drugged like he is," Kei replied. "But..." he glanced at Farfarello, "I think there's someone here we could rely on to do the job." 

Farfarello grinned, "I'd be happy to kill one or both of them, if we can locate them. It won't be easy to do that without Schuldig's help, unless," he turned to Nagi, "you can help us." 

“What do you want me to do, Farf?” Nagi asked, confused but willing. He knew from experience that when his lover had an idea it was usually a good one. 

"Can you try to help us pinpoint where the telepaths are? I know you've never tried to find anyone but us that way, but it might work." 

"And what if one of them hijacks his mind?" Kei asked. "Isn't he powerful enough to kill us without any real effort?" 

“I could shield him while he searches,” Aya suggested doubtfully. 

Nagi nodded. “That might work. If they’re controlling Brad and Schu it’s a full time job for them so there should be some trace from their minds.” He took a deep breath. “I would appreciate being shielded so that neither Brad nor Schu notice me if that’s possible. I…I have an emotional attachment there which makes me vulnerable.” 

“I’ll do what I can.” 

"So do it. We might be running out of time if they catch on to what we're trying," Farfarello stated. 

Aya concentrated and spread his mental shield to include Nagi whilst still protecting Kei and Jas. They were both far too dangerous to leave to the whim of a Rosenkreuz telepath. 

Nagi felt the shield click into place and smiled. He could do this. He reached for Brad’s mind across their link and found him kissing Schuldig. It was all the distraction he needed and, although he was blushing, he reached out for Mindwarp’s link to his surrogate father. It wasn’t hard to find, the Rosenkreuz telepath being too arrogant in his own powers to bother shielding himself properly. 

Through Mindwarp’s eyes he saw a hotel room and Berger lying on one of the beds with his hands behind his head. The bastard was laughing. He didn’t have the skill to pick thoughts up so he stayed quietly hidden on the link and listened to their conversation. 

It was banal to say the least until Berger remarked how much he hated Tokyo. Nagi gently pulled back into himself and turned to stare at Aya with newfound respect in his eyes. 

“They’re in Tokyo,” he said, “at a hotel though I don’t know which one.” 

Kei pulled out his cell phone, "I know someone who can find them." He dialled Kate's number. He needed to tell her what was going on and to get Tsuki checking hotels for a man with green hair and a very distinctive German accent. 

Kate picked up immediately and her voice sounded worried. “What’s happening?” 

"Hisato is dead. Aki was mentally controlled and is the one who killed him. Kudoh, Crawford, Schuldig and Jas have all been taken over by RK telepaths. Get Tsuki onto his computer and have him find a green haired German who's staying at a Tokyo hotel. Start with the upscale ones. RK operatives love to show off. Until you hear from me again, keep the blond under wraps, handcuff him if you have to and stay where you are. Keep alert too, there's a telepath up there and he or she might switch targets." 

At the farm Kate’s hand clenched on the phone at the news. She hoped that both Aki and Jas would be okay but now was not the time to ask after them if Kei’s brusque tone was anything to go by. 

“Tsuki’s already reconfigured Tsukiyono’s laptop,” she said, “and set up the router. I’ll get them both onto the hotels immediately. Kudoh’s listless and upset but Hidaka seems to be watching him like a hawk.” A thought struck her. “Perhaps Kudoh was supposed to kill either Jas or Fujimiya.” 

"That's my guess. Stay sharp, these people are more dangerous than I expected if they could do this to Jas, not to mention Crawford and Schuldig. Call me the second they have their position. We're in serious trouble down here." 

“Stay safe,” was all that Kate said before she ended the call. There were tears streaming down her cheeks as she thought about what had happened. Hisato could be a pain in the butt but his loss would leave a gaping hole in their team and Aki might never recover from what he’d been forced to do. 

“Kate?” Tsuki’s voice was soft with surprise and compassion. 

She wiped the tears away impatiently. “You have work to do,” she said and passed on Kei’s instructions. Mourning would have to wait. 

“I’m on it,” Tsuki said and strode over to where his laptop was set up. “Omi, you’d better give me some help. We’re in a hurry.” 

“Of course, Tsuki-kun.” Seconds later they were both at laptops, Omi checking hotel databases for German names, Tsuki going for the security footage from the lobby cameras. 

Kate turned her attention to Yohji who was sitting silently in the kitchen like a puppet with its strings cut. It might be that the telepath had left him alone for now but she couldn’t afford to take any chances with four lives at stake. 

“Kudoh?” 

His head ached and he wasn't sure where he was, much less when or how he'd gotten there. The last few days were full of fog, few details standing out. 

He felt vaguely sick and dizzy when he did remember the one clear detail. Aya kissing another man. 

Dulled jade eyes were raised to regard her. "Yeah?" 

“I…” Then the whole business of Hisato being dead at gentle Aki’s hands hit her like an avalanche of grief. She took deep, shuddering breaths, cursing herself for showing weakness. 

“I think I need a shoulder to cry on,” she admitted, “but it’s probably better if I just make us both some coffee. Unless… did you want to talk?” 

He looked at her, then got to his feet and limped to where she was standing. He put his arms around her and pulled her close. 

"Cry for us both, okay?" 

His height and those surprisingly broad shoulders were her undoing and she clung to him as she wept for Hisato, for Aki, for Yohji himself and for long lost Peter – the very reason she was here at all. 

A part of her mind was surprised and unnerved to feel so safe in his arms, yet – somehow – she trusted him, telepath or no telepath. If he was taken over again now she would be in serious trouble. 

Cursing herself for a fool she let go and pulled away although she still stood in the circle of his arms – trusting. 

It felt right to be holding her and Yohji lowered his head, the gesture an automatic one he'd done thousands of times. The kiss was gentle, meant to reassure, to sooth the pain she was feeling. 

For once it wasn't a hollow gesture meant to gain him a bed partner only. No, this time it was heartfelt and eased some of his own pain though why he couldn't have said. 

Her arms reached up and around his neck of their own volition and she returned the kiss, realising that she had buried this softer, womanly side of herself in her need for vengeance and her subsequent work for Kei. 

Something Yohji had thought long dead responded to the way she clung to him, and he pulled her closer, deepening the kiss. 

A cleared throat made them break apart to find Tsuki standing in the doorway. Far from appearing embarrassed, his black eyes were twinkling. 

“We’ve found them,” he said. “They’re at the Pacific Tower Roppongi. And if you thought Berger looked odd wait till you see Mindwarp!” 

Yohji blinked. "Berger? Mindwarp?" he looked very confused. 

“Rosenkreuz telepaths,” Kate told him. She turned to glare at Tsuki for his flippancy until she realised that she’d only given him Kei’s instructions and not told him what had happened. She took a deep breath. 

“They controlled Crawford and Schuldig and through them everyone at the house,” she said quietly. “They made Aki…” She bit her lip, desperately fighting back the tears. “They made him kill Hisato.” 

The twinkle died immediately and Tsuki suddenly looked quite formidable for someone so effeminate. “Murdering bastards!” He glanced at Yohji. “I take it he’s okay now.” 

Yohji frowned. "I'm okay, but..." he looked from Kate to the too pretty man and back, "... who in hell are the two of you anyway? Do you work for Kritiker, and..." he looked around as if seeing where he was for the first time, "where in hell are we?" 

“Oh fuck, whoever it was has wiped his memories.” 

Kate nodded at Tsuki’s words and tossed the cell to him. “Let the man know what you’ve got. And send either Hidaka or Tsukiyono in here.” 

“Okay, I’m on it,” Tsuki agreed and left the kitchen taking the phone with him. 

Kate turned her attention to Yohji. “What do you remember of the last few days?” she asked him. 

Yohji frowned. "I.... remember fighting someone at the Koneko and then things get very fuzzy." 

He rubbed his forehead and hobbled over to the nearest kitchen chair to take a seat. "But after that, it’s like trying to remember a dream. I've only got bits and pieces and they're shrouded in fog." 

“You don’t remember agreeing to join with us in Ueno Park? Or Tsuki (who you’ve just seen), Issei and…Hisato visiting you at your cabin?” 

She looked around for Hidaka, hoping he could fill in some of the gaps when she hadn’t been with Weiss. 

Ken was in the living room, peering out of the front window, his right hand reflexively opening and closing as if he were triggering the use of his bugnuk. 

“Someone’s out there,” he told Omi. “I can’t see them, but...” 

“The third telepath do you think?” 

“Almost undoubtedly,” Tsuki said speed-dialling Kei’s number. “We may have to do something about that. Your friend seems to have lost most of the last few days.” He held the phone to his ear. 

The phone rang once and then Kei’s voice came on the line, “What have you got for me Tsuki?” 

“Berger and Mindwarp are at the Pacific Tower Roppongi. The third is outside somewhere. Do you want us to deal with that?” 

“Deal with it at your end. We’ll handle the tourists at Roppongi.” The call disconnected. 

Ken moved toward the door, then paused. “Weapons. I think we’re going to need them. I...” he swayed on his feet, face going pale as new fallen snow as he dropped to his knees and pressed both hands to the sides of his head. 

“Shit!” Yohji headed for his team mate as fast as his injured ankle would carry him. “They’re after him now!” 

“Look after him, Tsukiyono, but don’t let him anywhere near a weapon,” Kate snapped. Her automatic rifle was in her hands. “Tsuki, create a diversion so I can get on the roof. Try and get the bastard to get in range.” 

“Leave that to me,” Yohji said as the younger blond knelt down beside the stricken Siberian. He was out the door in an instant, his ankle all but forgotten in the heat of an impending fight. 

“Is he nuts?” Tsuki asked and went after him, a small but deadly pistol having appeared in his hand. 

Kate blinked but headed up the stairs at a run. Seconds later she was on the roof looking for the intruder and her friends. 

Yohji moved fast, heading for the shed that Ken had been watching. It was where the telepath, or whatever the fuck RK had sent against them, was probably hiding. 

A loud crack and a hot whoosh past his head told him that the telepath wasn’t alone-- no surprise there-- and that the agent guarding said telepath was pretty good with a gun or that bullet wouldn’t have come so close to him. 

He crouched lower and darted to the left as a second bullet ripped the air where he’d been an instant before. 

There was the sound of another gunshot higher in pitch. Tsuki, having spotted the agent sheltering behind the barn, had gone round it and come up behind him to leave a nice neat hole in the back of his head. He sprinted after Yohji. 

A slight commotion at the doorway to the shed and a slender man together with a tiny woman set off at a run. Kate’s rifle barked once and the woman fell. 

Yohji sent a coil of wire humming through the air to wind its deadly length around the remaining RK agent. He pulled it tight, binding the man tightly and toppling him to the ground. 

Balinese was on him in an instant, a hand wrapped around the man’s throat. “You’ve got two choices. Talk and die, or wish you were dead. Make your choice!” he snarled. 

Behind him Tsuki’s brows rose in surprise, there was obviously more to Kudoh Yohji than met the eyes. He glanced up at Kate, wondering if he should intervene, but she made no sign. Looked like the RK agent was on his own. 

“I was here to protect her, that’s all,” the man on the ground stammered. 

The smile on the blond’s face would have done any of Schwarz justice: it was cold and merciless. “Sure, just a bodyguard. I understand. But you aren’t just a normal person are you? Not working with them you aren’t. So tell me, what do they want from us? Is it just our lives or something more?” 

“They want Hidaka and Fujimiya alive. You and the Takatori brat they want dead.” 

Knowing it would keep him alive a bit longer he gave Yohji even more information. “The American from DSS could be useful too but the rest of them are marked for death. Schwarz will be brought to heel, except for that mad Irish bastard. He’s no use to anyone.” 

“Interesting,” Balinese remarked. “But why only Fujimiya and Hidaka? Why not me too?” He gave the man a malicious smile, “Or am I being marked to die like Farfarello? Too much of a risk to them, perhaps?” 

There was an odd glitter in the man’s green eyes as he squeezed the hapless RK agent’s throat, “Don’t be shy, you can tell us.” 

“It was thought the telepathic hold on your mind would kill you,” the man gasped out. “You’re stronger than they thought. So is that other bastard.” 

“Hmmm... really? Well they were almost successful, but almost isn’t good enough is it?” He glanced up at the DSS people and went back to his questioning. “So they know about me too then. Well Brad said it was bound to happen.” 

His fingers eased up on the man’s throat a little. “Why do they want Aya and Ken. I’m sure you know I’ll get it out of you--“ This time Yohji’s grin would have frozen molten lava it was so cold, “one way or another.” 

The man swallowed what air he could before he started singing like a canary again. “Fujimiya is a high level telepath. It’s only recently been discovered as his shields are so strong. Hidaka… I’m not entirely sure but there’s something about his genetic code that interests us.” 

Jade eyes glanced at Kate before they returned to the man he was choking slowly to death. “Now tell me exactly how they gained control of Crawford, Schuldig, Silence and I.” Yohji wanted to know how it had been done so it could be prevented from happening again. 

"Silence was easy. He speaks to his dead sister. All Nightmare had to do was pretend to be the girl. Him almost killing Schuldig let Berger into _his_ mind and Crawford's worry over his lover opened the way for Mindwarp there. You were taken over by Thoughtwarp who just escaped being killed by your girlfriend, the DSS explosives nut and Silence." 

“Neat and sweet,” Yohji remarked. “So they sent Terror after us. But one of them is missing. Where’s Phantasm? And Berger. Who is he?” 

“Berger is another telepath. As for Phantasm, he’s being kept in reserve…for now.” 

Yohji looked at Kate. “Any other questions you’d like answered?” 

“Just one,” Kate said. “Who is the ‘other bastard’ he spoke of?” 

“Your boss,” the agent said, “the man responsible for all this.” 

“No further questions,” Kate said her eyes and tone full of frost. 

Yohji leaned down and stared into the agent’s terrified gaze. “Die,” he whispered, and his eyes flickered from jade to almost black. 

Kate and Tsuki watched in fascinated horror as the man convulsed. Something shiny emerged from his body only to shrivel and die as it reached the air. 

“I... already knew most of what he told me, I just...” Yohji shook his head, “didn’t remember it until recently.” 

And he was remembering a lot, and in vivid detail. 

Crawford and Schuldig in bed with him as the pair of the Schwarz men and he engaged in mind-blowing sex. They’d seduced him when he’d been too drunk to say no, and once Schuldig had invaded his mind, and Crawford had gotten his big cock up his ass, well all of his resistance had collapsed like a house of cards in a strong wind 

And he’d kept going back for more because he’d always known Brad had told him the truth. 

He was as much a freak as they were, even if it was for different reasons. 

More than that though was the knowledge that Aya could and would never be his. 

He’d known it all along, even before Crawford confirmed it. But he’d always hoped to realize that last dream of his. To make love with Aya. Not have sex, but make love. 

And he knew it was nothing but a dream now. One that he’d never realize. 

He got up and limped away from the corpse. “Brad calls me Soulkill and I’ve secretly been part of Schwarz for about four months now,” he confessed. 

Kate and Tsuki exchanged glances. “We’ve had reason to believe that there was talent in Weiss,” Kate said. “It was the only reason for Schwarz to let you live.” She sighed. 

“It’s not all bad news though,” Tsuki said, “seeing as two of Schwarz are helping us right now.” 

“We weren’t sure about their motives before,” Kate added. “Weren’t sure they were on the same side. RK tried to add to that when they used them to make one of our team kill another. I’m still not sure that the man could work with Crawford but we do all have a common enemy and it’s probably a good idea to stop fighting each other.” 

“Yeah, seeing as that’s exactly what RK want us to do.” Tsuki turned to go back into the house before he had another thought. “I’m guessing that only one of you doesn’t have any talent. Why else did Schuldig attack Omi but leave the rest of you alone? Shielded minds, perhaps? And why attack you and Ken this time? My guess is to take the danger people out.” Hisato, with all his faults had been one dangerous son of a bitch. 

He smiled to himself. At least he had proof that they hadn’t managed to take Kei out. 

Kate sighed again, knowing now that she didn’t stand a chance with the blond. His thoughts were obviously elsewhere. She shook her head and tried to concentrate on what difference Yohji’s confession would make. Was he now a liability? And yet her first instincts were to trust him. 

Yohji listened to the two DSS people while memories that had been deeply buried came welling up to the surface of his mind. 

“Crawford is a pragmatist. He won’t try to kill Silence now that it’s obvious we all need one another. But he’s used to leading, and I doubt he’s going to step aside to let Darkness take charge of his team.” 

He turned jade eyes on Tsuki, “And you’re right about Omi. He doesn’t have any talent. It’s why Brad let Schuldig play his games with him. But there were reasons that I know about, something Brad knew about the girl that went beyond her just being a half sister. I can’t tell him, but it’s much better that she’s dead.” He frowned, “She was a Takatori and behind her sweetness and smiles-- Well let’s leave it at she’d have grown up to be a real bitch.” 

He sighed. “And, when it’s all said and done, Omi’s really a Takatori also. I just hope we never have to treat him like one. It would break Ken’s heart.” 

Yohji took another halting step, then shook his head and just stood there, leaning against the wall of the shed. “I’m not going to be of much help, I’m afraid. I think it’s broken.” 

He held an arm out to Kate, “Want to help a crippled old man into the house?” 

Kate shook her head. “You’re not going into the house, Kudoh, you’re going straight to the nearest hospital to get a cast put on that ankle. We’ll take that scrapheap Toyota as you won’t be able to ride pillion.” 

She glanced at Tsuki, still not knowing him well enough to consider asking him to take charge here without some thought. Hopefully Kei and the others would keep Berger and Mindwarp off their case. Nightmare was more problematic, none of them knowing where the bitch was. 

She took a deep breath. “Go and check on Ken and Omi,” she said. “I’m leaving you in charge here for the next few hours so stay close to your phone and keep your eyes peeled for Nightmare or Phantasm. You really don’t want either of them anywhere near you.” 

Tsuki nodded solemnly and headed back to the house, determined not to let her down. 

“I don’t need a hospital,” Yohji argued. “Just help me get inside. We can’t afford to spread our numbers out any thinner than they are, and if any of the RK operatives show up, the three of them won’t stand a chance. Ken doesn’t know how to keep his shields against someone as powerful as either of them are and he hasn’t a clue how to use his power, but anyone taking control of his mind will.” 

“You’re right,” Kate said unhappily. “But you need to stay off that ankle.” She got a shoulder under his arm and called Tsuki’s name. 

The dark-haired man turned and immediately saw what was needed. Coming back he supported Yohji from the other side, surprising the blond with the strength in that effeminate body. 

Between them they got Yohji back into the house and onto the couch, his damaged ankle up on a cushion. 

Tsuki left them to it and went to see how Ken and Omi were faring. 

Ken was in the kitchen, washing the blood off his face. He was still pale, and his head ached so bad he couldn’t see straight. Worse his hands wouldn’t stop shaking. He put on a smile for Omi, but he wasn’t sure it would convince anyone that he wasn’t in pain. 

Tsuki took one look at Ken’s face and handed Omi a strip of strong painkillers. “Make sure he takes two of those,” he said, “and don’t let him fool you. He’s in agony.” 

“Okay Tsuki-kun,” Omi said obediently enough. “Come on Ken-kun, let’s get you healed up.” 

Ken turned a grateful look on Tsuki. “Thanks anyway, but I’ll live and I’d rather not be drugged into oblivion and flat on my back if those bastards send another team of assholes to play games with us.” 

But the offer of an escape was so tempting... 

He frowned and rubbed his temples. “How close do those creeps have to be to get into your head? Does anyone know?” 

“Our research suggests no further than a block away,” Tsuki said, “and those will ease your head without putting you out I promise you. The last thing we need is you unable to function.” 

“Please, Ken-kun,” Omi said softly before turning a hard stare on Tsuki. “Is whoever did this dead?” 

“Very dead,” Tsuki said with a slight shudder as he remembered how that man had died. 

Ken sighed. “I’ll need some water,” he told Omi as he stripped two pills off and handed the rest of them back to Tsuki. 

“So what’s with Yohji? Does anyone know? He’s been acting really peculiar for a while now that I think about it. I mean he’s always been, well, a bit of a whore, but he’s sneaking around more, and I haven’t seen any girls in over two months now that I think about it. How long did RK have control of him anyway?” 

Tsuki took a deep breath. “As far as we know, about two days,” he said. “As for the rest, I think he’d better tell you.” 

“Two days?” Ken turned his brown eyes on Omi. “But he was acting weird before that.” 

Omi frowned and turned steely blue eyes on Tsuki. “It was Schwarz, wasn’t it? They’ve messed with his mind just like they messed with mine!” 

Tsuki looked uncomfortable. “I really think you should ask him rather than me. Just remember he’s still on our side.” 

Ken got to his feet, “Where is he? We need to find out how deep that bastard Schuldig has gotten into Yohji’s mind.” 

“He’s on the couch in the living room. His ankle is broken.” 

“Broken? I thought it was just a bad sprain.” Omi was heading out of the kitchen like a hare. 

Ken followed his lover out into the living room. “How convenient too,” he muttered. “We’re in so much danger from RK and Schwarz and Yohji winds up out of commission.” 

“And whose fault is that?” the blond retorted angrily. “You were the one who decided to fuck around like some damn kid, Ken.” 

“Well maybe if you weren’t drunk all the fucking time, Kudoh, you’d have better balance!” 

“I’m not in the mood to argue with you, Ken.” 

“Of course not. You know I’m right.” 

“Fuck you, Kenken.” Yohji leaned back on the couch, shut his eyes, and pointedly ignored the jock. “Can someone pour me a drink? Scotch, whiskey, bourbon, whatever’s handy.” 

The brunet’s fists clenched, the muscles in his jaw bunching up as he fought to control his temper. Yohji’d been asking for a good beating for months as far as the former soccer player was concerned, and he was damned close to giving it to the older man, broken ankle or not. 

“I fucking give up,” Ken muttered. “No wonder Aya dumped him for that Silence guy.” 

Jade eyes flew open and Yohji moved to go over the back of the couch at the brunet, a dark glitter filling his gaze. 

“Stop it both of you!” Kate’s tone was arctic. “How the hell are we supposed to fight RK if we’re fighting amongst ourselves?” 

She glanced at Tsuki eyes narrowed but he shook his head. Whatever had caused this was nothing to do with him. 

“Nightmare,” she breathed. “They must have freed Jas somehow and now she’s attacking us.” She wished she was a telekinetic and could hold these two fools apart but it was Omi that came to her aid. 

“Ken-kun! Apologize to Yohji. You’re the one who broke his ankle so conveniently!” He parked his small body immediately between the two men. 

Yohji shook his head and dropped back on the couch. “No, Ken and I have been arguing for a while now, just not where anyone could see us.” He sighed. “It’s one of the reasons I wanted to leave Weiss.” 

Ken sighed. “If you weren’t a drunk we’d have no reason to fight, would we?” 

“Whatever,” Yohji muttered. 

“Yeah, whatever.” 

“Oh grow up both of you,” Tsuki said, by now thoroughly disgusted with the pair of them. “How you guys ever functioned as a team I’ll never know.” 

“That was mostly down to Aya,” Omi admitted. “They’ve always fought but he’d just glare at them and they’d subside.” 

“Well some asshole likes to think with his fists,” Yohji muttered. “Of course since he doesn’t have a brain to think with it’s hardly a surprise.” 

“And which one of us was under the control of that RK telepath?” Ken asked in the sweetest tone he could manage and still convey a hefty dose of sarcasm. 

“Actually, until I killed her, you both were,” Kate said. “God! Men and their pissing contests!” 

“And then I bet you two wonder how I could join Schwarz? At least I don’t have this bullshit with them,” the blond growled. 

Omi’s eyes widened. “Schwarz? You joined Schwarz? Yohji-kun, how could you?” 

“Oh shit,” Tsuki said and grabbed Ken before he could lunge across the room at the blond. 

“Because freaks belong together,” Yohji replied flatly to Omi’s question. “Why do you think RK wanted control of me?” He gestured at Ken, “And he’s another prize they’d like to add to their collection. So is Aya.” 

“No! You’re not freaks, Yohji-kun, you’re my family. It doesn’t matter what special talents you might have, you’re still Yohji.” But he could say no more, turning away so the two strangers wouldn’t see the tears in his eyes. 

“Schwarz might think of themselves that way,” Kate said quietly, “but neither Jas nor I do.” 

Yohji raised one pale eyebrow as he regarded the woman. “No, they don’t think of themselves as freaks, but they aren’t too kind in their thoughts regarding mundanes.” 

Ken was staring at Yohji, his anger-darkened eyes fixed on the blond with something that was starting to look like hate. “You traitorous bastard. How can you just sit there and act like you belong here?” 

“Hey it wasn’t my idea, but Aya didn’t want me to leave. Though why I sure as hell don’t know. He obviously only wanted me here for whatever use I’ll be to DSS and Weiss.” 

He turned away from everyone. “I should have just gone with Brad when he first asked me to, but moron that I am, I hoped I’d manage to figure out a way to show Aya how I felt. 

“Stupid of me to even try. He doesn’t give a rats ass about me.” 

“Why should he? You’re drunk all the time! Do you think that’s a turn on for him? Be serious Kudoh. You aren’t worth his time,” Ken stated. 

“Yeah, like I said, stupid wasn’t I?” 

“STOP IT!” Omi’s scream was full of pain. His family was falling apart around him and it seemed there was nothing he could do to prevent it. 

“Aya-kun does care about you, Yohji-kun. Why else would he buy you cigarettes and beer on the way here? Ken-kun, if you keep treating Yohji-kun like this it’s hardly surprising he wanted to walk away from us.” 

Ken sighed and put his arms around the small blond, “I’m sorry Omi. And you’re right. I shouldn’t yell at Yohji. He can’t help himself. It’s a sickness, but it hurts to see him slowly killing himself like this,” Ken confided softly. “And I don’t know what to do or how to make him see how much it hurts you and Aya. 

“God my head hurts,” he murmured. 

Yohji struggled to his feet, “I think I’ll go for a walk, let the air clear.” He reached into his pocket for his cigarettes. “And Aya gets that stuff for me because he knows I’m addicted, Omi. And you don’t cure an addict by denying him his poison of choice.” 

“You’re wrong, Kudoh,” Kate said. “I too am a ‘freak’ my talent being that of empathy. I know you care very deeply for Fujimiya and I also know that he cares very deeply for you. Hidaka is angry with you because he also cares and hates seeing you slowly killing yourself. 

“And if you think you’re going for a walk on a broken ankle you’re a bigger fool than I thought you were.” 

She frowned suddenly. “And going to see Crawford and Schuldig right now would not be a good idea as they’re in the mental grip of our enemies. Just as you were and just as Ken was.” 

“I’m not going far, and I’ve got no plans to visit my other friends,” and Yohji put as strong emphasis on that word as he could to drive it home to the Weiss that he liked the Schwarz team, “until I know they’re out of the grip of RK.” 

He hopped toward the door, careful not to jar his ankle. It hurt and he was damned sure it was broken now because it wouldn’t take any weight on it. “I’m going out to smoke because if I smoke in here Aya will kill me and I suspect Kei won’t be much better about it. You can either help me stay out of trouble or leave me to my own vices in peace. Your choice.” 

Kate stood up. “I’ll come and keep you company,” she said with a smile. 

The second Yohji hit the porch he eased himself to the ground and lit up. For a while he sat there and just smoked, then he glanced at Kate. “Thanks for keeping me from hanging myself. I...” he shook his head, “I’m starting to remember what happened while I was under the influence of that bastard RK telepath.” 

He took another drag off his cigarette, blew the smoke out in a series of rings that drifted slowly away. “I wasn’t under anyone’s control but my own when I kissed you. Just so you know.” 

“I know,” Kate said with a smile. “And I think that bitch telepath shot RK in the foot. Your revelations had to come out in the open and better now than later as they will use even the slightest bit of distrust against us.” 

She stared out into the darkness of the countryside, still coming to terms with Hisato’s death. Strangely Kudoh reminded her of him. “Do you tease people too?” she asked aloud. 

“Tease?” Yohji shrugged, “It all depends on whether I find them sneaking on internet porn sites when they’re supposed to be working on homework or checking for mission related email.” 

He eyed the woman, leaned closer and whispered, “You’re pretty and deadly as sin. I could learn to like that, if you didn’t scare the hell out of me with that big gun of yours.” 

She chuckled softly. “Somehow I didn’t think you scared that easily, Kudoh.” She didn’t make any move to get away from his close proximity, moving slightly closer in fact. 

It could be nice to have someone big and strong protecting her back because he cared about her as more than a friend. She scoffed mentally. Dream on, Kate, the man’s an alcoholic mess with a liking for other men. 

Tsuki would stand more of a chance. If Tsuki was even remotely interested in anyone other than Kei, that was. 

Yohji was never one to turn down any opportunities-- and he didn't intend to start now since Aya was so blatantly interested in a totally different blond. He leaned in the last fraction of distance and let his lips touch Kate's very inviting mouth. 

He pulled back, smiled and said, "I don't scare at all, if you want to know the truth." He turned and slipped an arm around her, dimly wondering if he was just trying to 'get even' with Aya or if he might be seriously considering giving women another try. 

He'd had such bad luck with them he'd thought breaking with any sexual contact with the fairer sex might not be a bad idea, but, as much as the thought of being fucked by Aya had excited him, and as much as he enjoyed his little games with the two Schwarz lovers, there'd always been something missing. 

"Tell me to back off, if you don't like what I'm doing," Yohji warned as he pulled her even closer and locked his mouth over hers in a kiss that could even have melted the iciest of red-heads or the most arrogant American bastard. 

Kate’s arm slipped round Yohji’s neck as her misgivings about him melted away in the face of such a kiss. Perhaps he was saveable after all. As her body went weak with lust she really hoped so. 

Her mouth opened, giving him entry unconditionally. Sorry Kei, was her last coherent thought. 

Yohji’s tongue slid into Kate’s mouth, exploring the sweet taste of her. 

Thoughts of Aya, Brad and even Schuldig rose up in his mind, but somehow they paled in comparison to the beautiful woman in his arms. 

He ended the kiss and just sat there with Shadow in his arms, looking into eyes as green as his own. He was breathless, cock hard and aching and he wanted nothing more than to carry her up to a bed and make love to her until they were both satisfied. 

But reality was a cruel bitch and not only couldn’t he carry her with a broken ankle, they couldn’t even take the risk of sating their desire because of the RK threat. 

“Guess I’m still more straight than not,” he commented, before he gave her another kiss, this one gentle and non-demanding. 

“I’m glad to hear it,” Kate said when they finally pulled away. She rested her head on a comfortingly broad shoulder and closed her eyes as she savoured the feel of a strong arm around her. 

She didn’t often allow her femininity to show, but with Yohji it felt safe to let herself actually feel like a woman for once. 

The jade eyes closed and Yohji just sat there holding Kate. Then it fully registered that she was a team mate-- more or less-- and another killer and he’d never have to lie to her about his whereabouts, never have to say he was going out of town on business when what he meant was the job of murder. 

There would never need to be any secrets to come between them. 

Nope, no secrets, just RK and Kritiker. 

“What would you say if I told you I killed people for a living?” he asked her, his tone amused. 

She chuckled softly. “I’d throw my hands in the air and say something like ‘how could you?’ of course.” 

He smiled and leaned closer, his lips touching hers as he said. “I’m a very dangerous man, you should be more careful about talking to strangers.” He pulled away and winked at her. 

Kate sobered and she spoke seriously. “My first killing was in Liverpool, my home city in England. There were three of them, drug dealers who had helped to kill my brother. I cold-bloodedly murdered them.” 

She glanced up at his profile. “I guess what I’m trying to say is I’m in no position to judge anyone.” 

“They deserved to die. Anyone that sells that kind of poison deserves whatever happens to them,” Yohji told her, but there was something in his gaze, a shadow that he couldn’t hide. “I make judgments all the time. Live or die, it’s always been my choice. Kritiker gave us the missions, but, in the end, it’s our hands that are covered in blood.” 

He shook himself, “I’m starting to sound like Aya, old mister killers don’t deserve love,” he muttered. “Maybe he’s right.” He sighed and held Kate tighter, “But is a little human companionship too much to ask for?” 

“Fujimiya doesn’t really believe that anymore than you do,” Kate said. “We might be killers but we’re still human beings with human needs. Included in those needs is love and… companionship.” 

She leaned into the warmth of his encircling arm. “I don’t believe any of those needs are too much to ask for.” 

"Neither do I really," Yohji admitted. "I guess I just need some time to adjust to all the abrupt changes in my life. No more Kritiker, openly admitting I've allied myself to Schwarz-- that's a biggie really all things taken into account--" and Aya still doesn't know, he reminded himself and wondered what sort of fireworks that might entail. "Joining DSS, if you're going to let me live that is." 

He met her gaze squarely, "I've got good hearing and I'm even better at reading body language, just for the record. Your boss Darkness considers me a liability," he stated bluntly. 

"And for the record he's probably right, so if you're going to kill me make sure I don't see it coming. I'd rather die without knowing what happened if possible." 

“Okay, let’s look at your points in turn,” Kate said seriously, although she still leaned against him. “No more Kritiker can only be a point in your favour. Schwarz isn’t nearly as bad as it seems as Farfarello and Naoe appear to be helping us very willingly. You joined DSS when you accepted the man’s offer. He doesn’t make them lightly and both you and Tsukiyono have been taken on trust.” 

She glanced up at him, face serious. “As long as you don’t betray that trust, you’ll be accepted as a full member of the team. Of course if you do… let’s just say there’s nowhere to hide from us.” 

“I don’t suspect there’s anywhere to hide from RK either,” Yohji replied softly. “Kritiker’s reach doesn’t extend much beyond Japan so they’ve never been a big concern of mine. At least not since my affiliation with Schwarz.” 

He rested his forehead against hers, “And if DSS doesn’t give me any reason to reject being part of the team, I’ve got no problem staying.” He smiled, “And I’ve got a lot more incentive to stay, now anyway.” 

He kissed her again, enjoying the way she smelled, clean with almost no trace of perfume clinging to her unlike most of the women he’d dated. No, all he could smell were soap and shampoo and that was a welcome change too. 

Kate gave in to the kiss, enjoying the feel of his mouth against hers for several minutes. When they finally came up for oxygen she chuckled softly. 

“I don’t know quite what the man will make of all the emotions flying around at the moment,” she said, “which is bloody funny considering the bad case of lust that Tsuki’s got for him.” 

“Tsuki? In lust for Darkness?” Yohji shook his head, “It must be difficult for your hacker. I’m sure your boss is as impervious to lust as Aya...” he frowned, “used to be.” 

“But enough about everyone else.” He kissed her again only to hear a soft cough behind them. He knew the voice and didn’t even turn around. “What is it Ken?” 

“Just wanted to know if either of you is hungry. I’m going to make noodles.” 

“Do you have to?” Yohji said automatically. 

“Well actually I was going to try to convince someone else to do it,” Ken replied, “unless everyone wants to suffer through me trying to cook.” 

“No. I’ll do it before I let you into the kitchen.” 

“I’ll cook,” Kate said with a sigh. “It’ll be worth it just to avoid instant noodles!” She glanced up at Ken. “What have you got in the kitchen? And if you say only instant ramen you’d better start running now!” 

Ken’s expression was sheepish, “Well other than some miso, that is what we’ve got left. Aya’s not much of a shopper, and we only stopped at a convenience store.” 

“There isn’t a whole lot of room to carry groceries on a motorcycle either, especially not when we were riding double.” 

Kate rolled her eyes. “Men!” She stood up and turned to stare at Ken. “You have acres of vegetables and there is both meat and fish in the freezer and eggs in the hen house!” 

She shook her head. “Help Kudoh back into the house when he’s ready and stay out of my way!” 

She stalked off towards the fields, only stopping to pick up a basket along the way. 

Ken scratched his head, “Well we weren’t sure we were allowed to eat that stuff. I mean no one said anything you know,” the jock all but whined. 

Yohji just chuckled, “do we have a truce, Ken?” 

“Yeah, truce,” the brunet agreed. “At least until you give me a reason to knock some sense into you.” 

“It’s never worked before, Ken, so why keep trying?” Yohji quipped feeling a lot better about himself and life. It was just amazing what a few kisses could accomplish. 

Omi wandered out of the house then. “Tsuki’s been showing me some stuff on the computer. I’d always thought I was good until now.” He was smiling though. “Are you two going to stay out here all night?” 

Kate reappeared with eggs and a selection of vegetables. “It’ll have to be omelettes for tonight,” she said. “If you want meat or fish it will have to wait until tomorrow when it’s defrosted.” 

She went past them and entered the house with her haul. “Dinner in about twenty minutes.” 

"I'll eat just about anything, including my own cooking, if I have to," Ken remarked as he helped Yohji to his feet. 

"I'm not too picky, just don't feed me eggs every night. I don't really like them all that much," Yohji told her as he leaned on the brunet and hobbled toward the door. 

He tried putting a bit of weight down on his bad ankle and hissed in pain as he felt something grind inside. "Broken. Definitely broken." 

Omi got the other side of Yohji and helped Ken get him into the house where they deposited him on the couch, putting his foot back up on a cushion. 

“We still need to get that set and cast,” Kate called from the kitchen, “but we’ll wait until we hear from the man. I’d like to think Berger and Mindbender are out of commission before I split us up at all.” 

“Just find something to wrap it up so it doesn’t move,” Yohji told them. “If we were at our cabin we’d have those crutches I used last winter.” He eyed Ken, “I seem to remember I was on them because someone threw a snowball in my face while I was skiing.” 

“I umm... err...” Ken found something on the floor that must have been very interesting because he just stood there staring at it. 

“That’s two, Ken. I hope I don’t have to suffer a third jock-based mishap,” Yohji muttered. “Because if I do, I’m going to get you back in ways that will make you wish you’d never seen snow, me, or this farm.” 

“Tsuki, take a look in the attic,” Kate called. “I think there might still be some crutches up there from when Issei first came to us.” 

She appeared at the kitchen door. “He’d been so badly beaten that his leg was broken. Like you guys, he stayed here until we knew we could work with him.” 

“I guess Aya’s passed muster already,” Yohji commented. “No surprise. I get the feeling that this boss of yours was more interested in him than the rest of us.” 

Ken looked at Kate, “Is that true?” 

“He doesn’t share all his thoughts with me,” she said, “but as far as I’m aware, the only one of you he wasn’t sure about was Omi.” She smiled reassuringly at the younger blond. “You have to understand that his hatred of your family is even stronger than Fujimiya’s. You’ve given your word and he will accept that as long as you keep it.” 

Yohji’s jade stare met Kate’s, “I don’t think he was all that sure of me, but then my own team isn’t either so no surprise.” He let his head fall onto the back of the couch and closed his eyes. “I could really use a drink.” 

“Too bad,” Ken automatically snapped, then relented. “Sorry Yohji, but you really do need to stop.” 

“Yeah,” Yohji agreed softly, “but that’s easier to say than do.” 

“You can have beer, but no spirits,” Kate said. “That way you don’t go cold turkey but you do stay relatively sober.” She vanished back into the kitchen again to continue cooking. 

Tsuki returned with a pair of crutches which he placed where Yohji could reach them easily. Then he parked his long length in a chair, smiling at the three ex-Weiss. 

Yohji sighed. “I can stay sober on scotch and water too.” 

“It does take a lot to get him staggering drunk,” Ken admitted. “I’ve seen him on a few missions where we had to go into clubs to do recon. If I drank as much as he did to maintain our cover I’d have oozed to the floor and not gotten back up for a few days.” 

Omi sighed. “High tolerance to alcohol is not necessarily a lucky thing to have,” he said. 

“No,” Tsuki agreed, “what a lot of alcohol does to a liver is not a pretty sight.” He very carefully said nothing at all about the probable state of Yohji’s lungs. 

“Not my decree,” Kate called. “If you want to argue with someone, argue with the man. Though I don’t give a fig for your chances!” 

“Thanks for the concern,” Yohji muttered. 

There wasn’t any beer in the house so he was effectively shit out of luck. 

He’d just find something else to think about so the need for a drink wasn’t the most prominent thing in his head. He picked up the crutches and made his way to the porch where he could smoke. 

Ken moved to sit beside Omi the second Yohji was outside. “He’s killing himself and there’s not shit we can do. I guess that’s why I’m always so mad at him. I...” Ken’s expression became glum, “I don’t know how to make him understand I don’t want to see him commit slow suicide.” 

Tsuki nodded solemnly. “I think the secret is to give him other things to think about. Take his mind off it.” He was silent for a moment, listening to the food preparation noises coming from the kitchen. The smell was pretty good too. 

He glanced up at Ken and Omi. “How did the rest of you survive without getting in the state he has?” he asked. 

Omi shrugged. “I was raised to this life,” he said unhappily, “and I had the computer work to do. I think it was harder on the others.” 

"I almost slipped a gear," Ken admitted. "But I got over it because of Omi." He smiled at his lover. 

"And, well, it's different for Yohji." Ken glanced at Omi, "None of us had to watch a girl we loved die. Yohji blamed himself for her death and he's never gotten over it. Then he found a girl that looked like his dead Asuka, but she wasn't Asuka, she was Neu of Schrient. She tried to kill him and got away. That's when Yohji really started to lose it. He came apart after he had to kill Neu himself." 

Tsuki’s expressive black eyes showed his compassion at Ken’s revelations. “I went to DSS with my skills for similar reasons,” he said quietly. “My lover was one of Takatori Hirofumi’s hunting victims.” He turned to gaze at Omi. “Which is why I am able to get over your – connections so well. I’m grateful to you for ridding the world of him.” 

Ken grunted, "I'm surprised Kritiker didn't find you first. They're good at taking on victims in search of vengeance." 

“I did look at them,” Tsuki admitted, “but I really didn’t like the idea of being officially dead. Besides, all their operatives seemed so miserable or damaged in some way. DSS wasn’t like that.” 

“Damaged. Yeah that’s a good description of us Kritiker operatives,” Ken agreed flatly. “Some more so than others,” he concluded with a meaningful glance toward the front door. 

“From what I dug up, that was quite deliberate. And, as far as I’m aware, you’re the only group who ever dared to walk away even if it was only for a short while. Makes me think you’re less damaged than you believe.” 

He thought about the differences between the people who worked for DSS and the people who worked for Kritiker. It was as if Kritiker actually encouraged the self doubts and self hatred in their operatives while Kei encouraged his group’s strengths. The differences were obvious. 

Ken glanced at Omi. He knew his lover had strong ties to Kritiker, and strong loyalties too. Can he really walk away like this? 

“Maybe.” 

Omi smiled at the other hacker. “When you guys came to the cabin, you were exactly how I wanted us to be. Happy, confident, able to joke, it was like a breath of fresh air blowing through the place.” 

Tsuki’s eyes went sad and distant as he remembered that Hisato had been one of the three to visit the cabin. It was still hard to believe the man was really dead and gone. 

Ken heard a noise on the porch and got up to make sure Yohji hadn’t fallen. 

What he found was an absence of anyone visible. “Yohji’s gone!” he said as he went toward the door. 

“What the hell?”


	8. Chapter 8

## Chapter 8

Aya stared down at the comatose form of Silence, his mind in turmoil over the emotions that the other man could generate in him. 

The sound of Kei’s phone ringing again brought him back to a sense of his surroundings and he listened to the side of the conversation he could hear. 

_Four telepaths? And the one controlling Jas still unaccounted for._

But they had to deal with the two they’d found first. When Kei folded away the phone, he asked, “How are we going to do this? If we all leave here that leaves one man to look after two that have been – injured.” He wasn’t sure how else he could put the conditions that Aki and Jas were now in. 

Kei regarded the Weiss with growing appreciation. No wonder Jas is drawn to him. I would be too if my own interest didn’t lay elsewhere. 

But this wasn’t the time to think about who did spark his own sexual appetites so keenly. 

“Suggestions?” he asked, directing the question at the red-haired man. He wanted to see just how good the former Weiss really was at planning tactics. Reading a stolen file from Kritiker on the man, and actually seeing a mind in action weren’t the same thing and he was curious to find out what the other man could really do. 

Aya thought about it, missing Omi’s keen tactical mind. He was better in the field than planning in advance. He glanced at Farfarello. “How long will he be out cold?” he asked, indicating Jason. He was going to need a time frame in which the violet-haired one could take care of the others alone. 

Farfarello shrugged, “It depends on his metabolism, but at least a couple of hours.” 

Kei continued to study the red-haired man as he worked out what he’d do to assure the best outcome. 

He’d just leave Farfarello behind, relying on the combination of Prodigy and the Weiss’ own evident telepathic abilities to protect the three of them at the hotel. Kei was certain if they got within bullet range of the RK operatives he’d have no trouble taking them out so long as they couldn’t gain access to his mind. 

“Two hours…” It wasn’t a huge amount of time but he’d worked with tighter windows in the past. “Nagi, you say telepath’s don’t like Farfarello’s mind. Is there anyway he can confuse them from here or would he need to get closer?” _Always supposing that he can do it at all…_

Nagi glanced at his lover, not entirely certain of the answer. Aya seemed to be coming up with new and untried ways to use their various talents. 

Farfarello tilted his head as he regarded Abyssinian, “Confuse them how?” 

“Let them think we’re still here, trying to pick up the pieces instead of approaching and entering the hotel. Is that possible? I’m sorry but I’m not used to working with your talents so I’ve no way of knowing what you can and cannot do. If I’m talking crap say so and let’s think of something else.” 

Kei regarded the pair of men intently. 

“I might be able to pull it off. My mind’s hard for any telepath to read, but if you tell your friend in the house that you’re going to take care of...” he glanced at Hisato’s body in the kitchen, “the dead man, then it might convince them.” 

“His name was Hisato,” Kei stated softly, holding the pain under tight rein. He couldn’t grieve yet. Not yet. 

Not when there were people who had to pay for his brother’s death. 

“It might be better for you to tell the other member of your team,” Aya said to Kei. “I’ll leave you unshielded for just long enough for them to hear the lie. That way we can take Farfarello with us to confuse them even more. Especially if he goes one way and we go another.” 

If the telepaths thought an enraged Berserker was after them it might rattle them just enough for Kei, Nagi or himself to get in close enough to kill them. He frowned suddenly and turned his gaze on the telekinetic. “Are you able to kill?” 

Nagi gazed impassively back at him. He thought of what had been done to the minds of the man who’d raised him and his lover. “I’m not sure, but in this case I’m prepared to try.” 

“What do you have in mind, Abyssinian?” Kei asked. 

“If Farfarello can distract them by making them think he’s out for their blood it might just unnerve them enough not to notice us coming from the other direction until it’s too late and we can kill them. I’d prefer them out of the hotel if there’s going to be shooting. We don’t want any innocent bystanders in the way.” 

Kei shook his head. It wasn’t a bad plan, but it wasn’t a DSS style job either. “If they’re inside their hotel room there won’t be any innocent bystanders at all. If they’re on the street we’ll have more trouble and more potential witnesses.” 

Aya nodded. “You have a point there,” he admitted. “I was too concerned with the noise factor perhaps. What do you suggest? You’re more used to making plans than I am.” 

“True, you aren’t used to using guns. Well for this your katana is also acceptable and makes little noise. As for my pistol, I’ve got a silencer that isn’t even as loud as the pop of a cork coming out of a champagne bottle so noise isn’t going to be a factor.” 

Aya nodded. “Okay, let’s do it.” 

“Do you know how to ride a motorcycle or do you have to go double?” 

“For now I have to ride pillion.” Aya was not happy with that admission but it was the truth. Having seen the advantages of motorcycles he would take the time to learn how to ride one. 

“When we’ve got everything taken care of I’ll have Jas teach you. I’m sure he won’t object to having a reason to spend time with you.” 

Kei regarded Prodigy and Farfarello. “Can we trust you to protect my people? We’re going to be freeing your friends.” 

“If you couldn’t trust us, we wouldn’t be having this conversation, would we?” Farfarello countered. “Not to mention that the rest of your team would already be dead.” 

“I’ll take that as a yes then,” Kei said as he pulled his helmet back on. “We’ll need the two of you to do what you can to keep their attention away from us. Go talk to Issei, tell him we’ve taken the body elsewhere. Don’t let anyone in the kitchen but Farfarello. If they can’t read his mind they won’t know about the deception.” He closed his eyes and said, “Better yet, hide the body in the garage. That way if Issei does go in the kitchen there won’t be anything but some blood to show what happened.” 

Nagi nodded, a look of relief crossing his features. “We can manage that,” he said. “Good luck.” 

Aya nodded to the two Schwarz members before putting on the helmet he’d worn on the way from the farm. He hoped the others were okay but then again the woman seemed competent enough. 

His thoughts strayed to Yohji and he sighed. It would never have worked. The blond’s bad habits would have come between them sooner or later, probably sooner. He wasn’t the most forgiving of people as his reaction to the news that Yohji had slept with Crawford and Schuldig had proved. 

He climbed on the bike behind Kei, ready to go. 

Darkness started up the bike. The faceless visor turned to Nagi. “Don’t disappoint me,” he told the Schwarz teen then they were off, heading for the Pacific Tower Roppongi. 

By the time they hit the end of the highway onramp, they were doing almost 100mph. 

They reached the hotel in one piece much to Aya’s surprise. He wasn’t sure if Kei and Jas were simply better riders than Ken but he felt safer on their bikes than ever he did on his team mate’s. 

“Do we just go straight up?” he asked. 

“No. We go through the service entrance. Just act as if you belong and no one will question us. We’re going to need a few things.” Kei pulled his helmet off and actually smiled at the former Weiss. “Have you ever used the cover of being a waiter?” 

Aya shook his head. “We’ve been air crew and, of course, florists. Omi was a waiter once but we didn’t do a lot of undercover work. I think I can manage room service though.” 

“I’ve done this before so I’ll be the waiter,” Kei stated. “You can ride on the bottom shelf of the cart and guard our minds. You’ll need to be ready to come out from under the cart fast. Do you think you can do that?” 

Kei found himself wishing for Jas. He could always count on the blond’s lightning fast reflexes. He hadn’t even gotten in a practice session with the red-haired Abyssinian and here they were going into a dangerous situation with a pair of RK killer telepaths as a two man team. 

_I must be crazy._

Aya merely stared back at Kei both his impassive expression and his body language telling the other man that of course he could do it and what did the prick think he’d been doing for the past three years. 

“Yes,” he said. “Let’s just do it.” 

Kei gave the other man a searching stare and hoped to hell he wasn’t putting his trust in someone who’d lost his edge as much as the prior reports he’d gotten from his own team suggested. 

Without saying anything else Kei headed toward the employee entrance. Without a magnetic key card they had no chance of getting in. But such minor obstacles never stopped Kei. He’d either wait for an employee to arrive for work, or failing that, he’d use one of the numerous small electronic devices he carried for just that purpose. 

Aya followed behind him, shielding their minds from all with the ability to read their deadly intent. He didn’t realise it but he was also making any stray passers by not notice their presence. 

They reached the door to find it locked and nobody apparently ready to start a shift which was hardly surprising at ten o’clock at night. Those not busy with late diners, the bar or room service would have long gone. 

He watched with some interest as Kei produced a small device and placed it over the electronic lock mechanism. The door clicked and they were inside. 

Kei closed his eyes and visualized the floor plan of the employee area of the hotel. He’d been here twice, and had committed the floor plan of the whole building to memory over a year ago. 

“This way,” he told Aya and headed directly for the kitchen. 

Aya followed, keeping a weather eye open for anyone who might question their presence. Nobody did and there was only one bored waiter, ready to take room service calls, sitting in the stainless steel cathedral that was the hotel’s kitchen. 

He keeled over without a sound as Aya applied the hilt of his sheathed katana to the base of his skull. 

Kei raised an eyebrow but said nothing as he picked the waiter up in a fireman’s carry and took him to the nearest storage closet where he divested the man of his uniform and stripped quickly out of his bike leathers. 

The uniform was going to be a snug fit, but not so tight that it would look wrong. 

Whilst Kei got changed, Aya found a large enough trolley and covered the top of it with silver tea and coffee pots, a plate of sandwiches and a small pile of plates, cups and saucers. 

Once satisfied that nobody would spare the trolley a second glance, he divested himself of his long coat and climbed onto the bottom shelf. 

Kei found a crate of paper napkins that was half empty and stowed his clothes and Aya’s coat inside it, and shut the box before easing his gun beneath the cover on the plate of sandwiches. 

The smell of the food reminded him how long it had been since he’d had a meal. 

It also reminded him that his next meal would not include his brother, Hisato. 

Grief flooded his mind, quickly followed by such rage that it left him shaking. 

_Emotion is your enemy. Do not let it rule you,_ he warned himself. 

“Ready?” he asked the man under the crisp white linen draping the cart. 

“Ready,” Aya agreed and adjusted his balance slightly as the cart began to move. He couldn’t see a thing through the linen but he knew when they left the kitchen and hit the carpeted corridors of the guest areas of the hotel. He felt them enter the elevator and the very slight lurch as it began its climb to the right floor. Then they were traversing carpet again and he knew they were getting close to their targets. 

Kei paused at the right room. His heart was starting to race. _This is it. We find out if Fujimiya has protected us, and if we can take on the might of RK._

He knocked on the door. “Room service.” 

The door opened to reveal the oddest and most flamboyant looking man. His hair was styled rather like Cruella De Ville from 101 Dalmatians, one half being black the other bone white. He had odd coloured eyes too, one bright blue the other a very weird almost white with only the pupil standing out. 

“Nobody here ordered…” It was as far as he got. Aya leapt out from under the trolley and immediately drew the katana, piercing the weirdo’s neck as he forced him back into the room, careful not to get between Kei and the other man who had jumped to his feet. 

The deadly black pistol was already coming up from beneath the tray of sandwiches when the green haired man started to move. 

It fired with a muted popping sound as the green-haired German tried to bring his power to bear on the intruders, only to discover that they were shielded. 

The oddball was attempting to persuade Aya that he really didn’t want to hurt anyone and that he would do as he was told. Having seen green hair dodge Kei’s bullet, Aya made no mistakes. He didn’t swing the katana, instead using it to stab the other man through the larynx. Mindwarp looked very surprised as he crumpled to the ground. 

Kei grabbed the pot of coffee and threw it at the fast moving telepath, accurately putting it in the green haired man’s path of flight. 

Berger staggered as the heavy silver pot, along with the hot liquid struck him squarely in the chest. 

“I want him alive,” Kei snarled as he shoved the service cart aside and went for the German. 

Aya stayed out of his way but made certain that the German’s only exit was by way of the window and a twenty storey drop. 

Berger seeing himself cornered, focused the full power of his mind on the two men in the room with him. 

And that meant that he had to release the other mind he’d been holding. 

Aya felt the attack on his shields like a physical blow. He staggered under it but his shields held – just. He did what came naturally to him and attacked, for the first time in his life trying to get into someone else’s mind. 

He was in a dark place, full of malice and he shuddered at the feel of it but still he lashed out with his mind trying to buy Kei the time to act. 

Laughter filled Aya’s mind as the RK telepath unleashed the full capability of his mind against his untrained opponent. 

*Welcome to my world,* he told the swordsman as the world around Aya seemed to slow, finally coming to a stop with Kei aiming his gun at Berger’s chest. 

But even stopped in time, it was evident that Kei’s fist wasn’t going to hit it’s target because Berger had begun to move out of the way. 

Aya felt powerless, trapped in the dark of Berger’s mind. _What the hell had he been thinking?_

*Ack! But that’s just it, Liebling, you weren’t thinking were you?* 

There was a sudden light in the darkness and Schuldig’s form took shape in front of Aya’s mental eyes. 

*Hold onto your sword, Aya, everything is going to speed up.* 

Schuldig went quiet but it was noticeable that Berger was being held in place. 

The green-haired telepath lashed out, trying to regain control, but without the aid of Mindwarp he stood little chance of fighting Schuldig. They were too evenly matched. 

Another mind joined the little party, as Crawford’s image took shape beside Schuldig’s. *Wouldn’t want to miss the show now, would I?* he asked as he smirked at Schuldig. Even across the mental channels there was a coldness about the American, a harsh edge to him that even untrained Aya could sense. 

Berger tried to retreat. Struggled to escape. 

Until a fist collided with his jaw and he dropped to the floor, dazed and vulnerable. 

“My brother is dead because of you!” Kei snarled into Berger’s face as he grabbed the man by the shirt front. 

In the man’s mind Crawford’s smirk grew to a vicious smile, *It’s really too bad we don’t dare let Darkness have his way with Berger. That man has a positively evil bent when it comes to revenge.* 

*Why can’t we let him have his way?* Aya asked, still hearing Aki’s misery in the back of his mind. *Don’t we want this bastard dead?* 

*I’m inclined to agree with the kitten on that myself,* Schuldig added. *That poor little guy fought so hard.* 

*True. But I’m inclined to think Berger is too dangerous to let live for much longer. He has a way of escaping and I’d prefer not to have to face him again. On the other hand, I think Darkness has a suitable punishment for Berger that you’ll both find interesting.* 

Kei grabbed the dazed telepath and bodily threw him across the room so that he collided with a glass topped end table which smashed to shower the stunned Berger with shards of glass. 

Bleeding, he was hauled off the floor and shaken like a rat. “It was my brother that you killed. And my friend that you tormented.” 

Berger managed a faint smile. “Yes, and it was so enjoyable to...” 

He didn’t get a change to finish what he intended to say. Kei backhanded him. 

Mouth full of blood, Berger just chuckled. “Do you think you can do anything that hasn’t been done to me before?” 

Brad smirked inside Aya’s mind. *Berger’s in for a few surprises.* 

“No?” Kei asked coldly as he pulled a narrow bladed knife from under his waiter’s uniform. He pinned Berger to the floor and the telepath’s eyes went wide. 

“Nein!” 

Kei grinned, “Oh, sorry to scare you, but... Yes!” He rammed the knife blade into Berger’s skull right over the bridge of the man’s nose. 

The telepath screamed as his ability to communicate, to touch other minds was severed. 

Aya found himself out of the dark and back in the hotel room. Of Schuldig and Crawford there was no sign. 

*You have an interesting mind, Liebling, but you need training.* 

*Not by you, I don’t!* 

*So ungrateful…* 

*Get out of my head, Schuldig. And… thank you.* 

Kei turned to Aya. “Are you all right?” he asked as he got off the floor and reached for the service cart. On the floor at his feet the former telepath was twitching, still wide-eyed with the horror of what had been done to him. 

“Thanks to Schuldig and Crawford, yes,” the redhead said. “Schuldig held Berger still enough for you to reach.” 

The DSS leader picked up a sandwich and took a bite. “Not bad.” 

Aya stared down at the dying telepath dispassionately. “You have a better idea of anatomy than I do.” He took a deep breath and said what was really on his mind. “I never realised I was a telepath until now. But I’m untrained and that makes me a liability doesn’t it.” 

Kei swallowed and just shrugged at Aya’s question. “I’m sure we can find someone to teach you.” He took another bite of the sandwich, then picked up the tray and offered one to the former Weiss. “They’re good. Try one.” 

Aya stared at the other killer for a moment, comparing his reaction to the news to the likely reactions of the rest of Weiss. A brow rose as he realised the man was as pragmatic as himself and he reached for one of the sandwiches. 

Kei was right, they were good and he was hungry having missed dinner just about everywhere. 

Kei nodded to Aya and set the tray down, grabbing another sandwich for himself he said, “Security will arrive in ten minutes. We’ll go down the stairs to the floor below and then take the service elevator back to the kitchen.” 

Aya nodded as he chewed. Swallowing the last of the sandwich he cleaned his katana on Mindwarp’s clothes and resheathed it ready to go. 

Kei motioned toward the door. He picked up his discarded pistol and shoved it under his waiter’s uniform. “If we encounter any security guards, I’m sure you know how to handle them.” 

He walked toward the door. He pulled it open and stepped into the hallway. 

Aya stuffed a second sandwich into his mouth and followed Kei out of the door. He was bright enough to realise he was seeing both a natural born killer and leader in action and the thought gave him a sense of relief. He’d had his leadership of Weiss thrust upon him and had never felt he was very good at it. It was good to let someone else make the important decisions. 

The hallway was empty and they descended the stairs to the next floor without incident. 

Kei led Aya to the service elevator without making a single wrong turn. He pushed the button and waited, his hand close to where he’d hidden his pistol, just in case. 

Aya frowned. This was just too easy. Something made him grip the hilt of the katana, ready to draw it at a second’s notice if necessary. 

*Use your talent, kitten.* 

*Leave me alone!* But he did listen out for other minds. “Two men in the elevator. They aren’t talents.” 

“Any idea what they are?” Kei asked. “Try to read their thoughts. If they’re just workers, we’re in no trouble. If they’re guards,” he shrugged, “they’ll be the ones in trouble.” 

Aya pushed a little further, trying not to let the men know he was reading them. 

_I really do need training._

The feel of a concerned mind, wondering why the mental link from his telepathic charges had suddenly vanished, Aya drew back instantly. 

“Bodyguards,” he mouthed. 

Kei gave a curt nod as he drew the pistol. With his free hand he motioned for Aya to step aside and hoped Abyssinian had the sense to guard a team mate’s back without being told. 

Aya stepped to the side, out of sight from the occupants of the elevator, and drew the katana with only the slightest hiss of steel. The elevator drew to a stop and the doors were flung open. 

Kei had his pistol up and ready, and the instant the doors opened he fired, getting the pair of shots off quickly. 

Fast as Kei was, one of them was just quick enough to get off a shot of his own. 

Instead of two dead men hitting the floor, it was one dead man and a rather startled Darkness that hit the carpet. 

“Well, well what have we here? I do believe it’s the bastard leader of DSS,” the RK agent said, sounding pleased with himself. “Won’t the boss be surprised?” 

Kei turned a chill smile on him. “Not as surprised as you’re about to be,” he replied softly. 

There was the whoosh of steel travelling through the air at speed and then the RK agent’s head parted company with the rest of his body. 

“You hit at all?” Aya asked as he cleaned off the blade again. 

“Yes,” Kei’s voice was calm and steady, but when he held up his left hand Aya could see it was covered in blood. “Help me up.” 

Aya sheathed the sword and held out an arm for Kei to grip. “How bad is it?” 

“I’ll live,” Darkness replied as he got to his feet with Aya’s assistance. The pallor of his face showed he was in pain even if his voice held no indication of the fact he’d been shot. “Let’s get out of here before more company shows up.” 

He stepped into the elevator, and it became far more apparent that he was hurt when his legs proved to be unsteady. 

Aya got a shoulder under him and helped to keep him upright for the short journey down to the kitchen. He couldn’t feel anyone else around but that didn’t mean they had all night. 

He did wonder how they were going to get back to the house on the bike with Kei so badly hurt. 

The kitchen was empty when they got back, the man Aya had rendered unconscious obviously off somewhere finding painkillers. He leaned Kei against a wall and grabbed their discarded clothing from where it had been hidden. He draped his coat round Kei’s shoulders and gave him the sword to hide amongst its skirts. 

Kei raised an eyebrow over being given Aya’s prized katana. He supposed it was just the easiest way for the other man to handle it and helping him back out to his bike, but it also showed a level of trust that proved he’d been right about at least one of the Weiss assassins: Aya would easily mesh with his own team. 

A team that no longer included the man he’d trusted most of all: Hisato. 

Aya took the other man’s weight again and they were on their way. 

Kei made Aya stop once they’d gotten outside. “Give me my jacket. I’ve got something in it that should at least slow the bleeding.” 

Aya came to a halt and handed over the jacket. 

Kei pulled a small metal box out of the pocket and opened a bottle that it held. He passed it to Aya and braced himself against the wall 

“Dump that into the bullet hole,” he instructed then closed his eyes to focus on something other than the pain he was about to be in. 

Aya glanced at the label expecting to see ethyl alcohol but instead read a name that meant nothing to him. “What is this stuff?” 

He moved Kei’s shirt aside to find a clean entry and exit wound in the man’s side. 

“One of our secrets. It clots blood, keeps us from bleeding to death if we’re hurt. You’ll learn about all our little secrets in time,” Kei replied. 

“Any time you’re ready with that stuff.” He gritted his teeth and waited. 

Aya tilted the bottle and poured its contents into the wound. The blood slowed almost immediately and then gradually stopped. It obviously came with a price though as Kei hissed in pain. 

The stuff came from a medical research company that had developed it for use by emergency personnel like paramedics and ER doctors. But the pain it caused often sent already injured patients into shock, or worse, cardiac arrest. The drug trials that had seemed so promising were abruptly ended after three people died. 

For DSS it was a blessing and often meant they didn’t need to head for one of their own well paid doctors. 

“A bit of advice, don’t get seriously hurt,” Kei growled out as he started for the bike, his steps still none too steady. 

“Are you going to be able to drive,” Aya asked as he closed the bottle and handed it back. Then he smiled slightly and shook his head. This man could be dying and he’d still get his team to safety. 

Kei turned a bland stare on Aya. “Could you?” 

He didn’t wait for an answer; he just finished the short walk to his motorcycle and lay Aya’s coat over it. “Put that back on and give me my pants.” He stripped off the waiter’s uniform and dropped them to the pavement. 

Aya handed the leather pants over and swapped his coat for Kei’s jacket. He pulled it on and rehid the katana. 

Kei put his leathers back on, got onto the bike and put on his helmet. He started up the heavy motorcycle. Just twenty minutes to their safe house. He could hold it together that long. 

Aya climbed on the back, putting on his helmet as he did so. If they crashed and survived he would steal a car to get them home safely. 

Kei put the bike in gear and started for their safe house. He managed to get them onto the interstate and once they were there he gunned the bike to a faster speed, but he was going much slower than he’d been on their way to the hotel. 

Aya tried hard to balance without having to cling to Kei like a limpet the way he had on the way out. He found he was just as safe with his hands resting on his thighs as he was with them round Kei’s waist. He smiled to himself as he decided not to let Jas know what he’d discovered. 

Pain was Kei’s enemy, along with the blood he’d lost. He clenched his jaw and focused his attention on just getting them back to the house. 

The change in the location of Aya’s hands was one Kei appreciated as it put no pressure on the gunshot wound. 

He gave the bike a little more gas wanting to get to the house so he could rest. 

At long last they were riding up the drive to the house. When the bike came to a halt, Aya climbed off and turned just in time to catch Kei as he fell off sideways finally giving in to weakness, pain and loss of blood. 

Having heard the noise, Nagi came running out of the house. Aya glanced at him. “Can you help me to get him inside?” 

Kei opened his eyes. “Call Kate. Let her know...” His eyes closed and he went limp in Aya’s grasp. 

Farfarello glanced out of the sliding glass doors, “Crawford called. They’ll be here in about half an hour.” 

The Irishman stepped outside, “What happened?” 

“Two telepaths and their guards are dead,” Aya told him. He felt Kei’s weight on him lessen as Nagi used his power to lift the man without hurting him any further. The Schwarz teen literally floated him into the house. Aya followed wondering if anyone inside would be prepared to give him Kate’s cell number so he could let her know before resting himself. 

Farfarello followed them into the house. “Crawford told me that Mindwarp is dead but he said that Berger is alive, but of no use to anyone, not even himself. What does he mean by that? He told me to ask you.” 

He glanced at Kei, “He’ll live, by the way.” 

Aya nodded. “I know,” he said. “Berger had his talent cut off.” He nodded towards the eerily floating body of the DSS leader. “He should have been a surgeon. He gave Berger a lobotomy without anaesthetic.” 

He got into the house to find Issei staring at him suspiciously. Of the little explosives expert there was no sign. “Someone needs to call Kate and let her know what happened.” Somehow he didn’t think Issei would give him the number. 

Farfarello chuckled at the remark about Berger’s current mental capacity. “I know Crawford is impressed and that’s not something he admits on a regular basis. In fact I’ve only heard him say that about one other person.” 

“Who was that, the devil himself?” Aya wasn’t really interested. Right now he just wanted to let Shadow know the score and sleep. 

Issei handed Aya a cell phone without question. “Third number down on the speed dial list.” 

A brow rose before Aya nodded and took the phone. He activated the speed dial and waited. 

“Hello?” The woman’s voice was worried. He gave her the news only to be sent reeling by her news. When he closed the phone his face was forbidding. “Kudoh’s gone missing. She thinks he’s been kidnapped.” 

Farfarello just stared at Aya. “Kidnapped? If Rosenkreuz has him he’s as good as dead.” He frowned, and looked at Nagi. “I can’t imagine Kritiker would be much kinder considering you’ve defected. 

“Crawford didn’t mention that. I wonder if he’s still having side-effects of being under Mindwarp’s control.” 

Nagi frowned having gently lowered Kei onto a couch and covered him with a blanket. “When did it happen?” 

“About ten minutes ago. He couldn’t have just walked away seeing as his ankle is broken so she thinks someone he trusts picked him up as there was no sound of a struggle. The only people from Kritiker he might trust are Manx or Birman. Unless… Would Crawford have collected him?” 

Farfarello shook his head. “Crawford’s on his way here.” The Irishman looked puzzled. “But I do know he was calling from his cell phone.” 

Aya was too tired to try figuring things out. His head hurt from using his talent so disastrously and he needed to sleep. He glanced at Issei. “How are Jason and the little one? Sorry, I don’t know his name yet.” 

“Jason was still out when I last checked on him and Aki’s been given a sedative.” 

“Jason is awake and wondering who he should go and kill for giving him this migraine,” the blond said as he entered the room. 

His eyes were dull and unfocused until he saw Kei lying so still on the couch then they cleared as he half ran to where his leader was. 

“What happened to Kei?” he asked, looking to Issei for an answer. 

Issei shrugged. “Ask him,” he said indicating Aya. “I’m going to make sure Aki’s still sleeping.” He left the room without another word. 

“He’s been shot in the side,” Aya said quietly. “The bullet went straight through and I emptied half a bottle of coagulant into the wound.” 

Jas visibly winced when he heard about the coagulant. “Let me get a look at it then. It will still need to be cleaned and bandaged.” He caught Nagi’s eye, “Move him to the kitchen table. If Kei bleeds on the couch he’ll ream me out over it.” 

“Sorry,” Nagi said and lifted Kei once again, floating him into the kitchen to land gently on the table. There was no sign of what had happened earlier, the two Schwarz men had obviously cleaned up very thoroughly. 

Jas had followed and once Kei was on the table he started to get the man out of his leathers. “I’m going to need some water, betadine, more of the coagulant and... oh hell,” he sighed, “there’s a first aid kit in the cabinet over the fridge. Could you get it for me Aya?” 

Aya nodded and reached up to open the cabinet. A large military style first aid box took up most of the space. He pulled it down and carried it over to the table. Nagi had found a bowl and filled it with warm water. He set it down next to the box. 

The wound was clean, the bullet having gone straight through. Although the exit wound was nasty it beat digging the bullet out. “Did the bullet hit any vital organs?” 

Jas frowned, “I’m not sure.” His gaze went a little unfocused then he blinked and met the violet eyes of the former Weiss. “My sister says no, but he’s weak from loss of blood.” 

He touched Kei’s side. “We all hate like hell to use the stuff, but how long did he wait to use the coagulant?” 

“We had to get out of the hotel; nineteen floors in an elevator, grabbing our stuff from the kitchen and making it to the bike. About three to four minutes.” 

Then he’d held things up with his stupid questions – nearer four. “Five at the outside.” 

“Fuck. That’s too long. He must have bled a lot.” Jas muttered as he opened the first aid kit and started taking things out. He dumped some betadine over the wound, then put an absorbent gauze pad over both the entry and exit wounds. 

“I’m going to need help wrapping the gauze around him. Can you hold him upright or do you know how to do this? If he wakes up he might try to fight us off and I’d rather you not get hurt. Me he might recognize.” 

“I doubt if he’ll wake up,” Aya said quietly, “but I know how to bind wounds if you prefer to do it that way.” 

Jas nodded. “It’s probably the safest. Kei tends to wake up when you don’t expect it, and he’s not always perfectly rational either, just to warn you in case you find yourself alone with him under these circumstances.” 

Aya nodded and held the gauze pads in place while Jas raised Kei into a sitting position. He got the first circle of bandage round him, effectively holding the gauze pads still. He’d had a lot of practice at this. Moments later the bandage was in place and Aya was pinning the end. 

“I’m going to stay here with him. I want you and Issei... Shit that won’t work either,” the man’s grey eyes darkened slightly and his head went up like a wolf scenting prey. “Schwarz is here. I want the five of you to find Kudoh and get back here as fast as you can. I’ll call Kate and let her know to stay put. We’ll all meet up at the farmhouse.” 

He leaned closer to Aya and put his lips to the red-head’s mouth, a slow burning heat filled him as their lips touched. It wasn’t like anything he’d ever experienced before, but it felt good. It felt right. 

Aya returned the brief kiss before glancing at Nagi and Farfarello. “Why exactly are Crawford and Schuldig coming here?” he asked. 

Farfarello shrugged. “You can ask them that,” he said and indicated the back door. 

Crawford and Schuldig were there, and the door slid open to admit them. 

“Good evening gentlemen. I’ll come right to the point; RK knows where you are so I suggest that we move from this locale immediately because, in two hours time they will be sending a team here to kill you. They’ve lost all desire to try and take any of us alive.” 

Aya’s eyes narrowed. “Where’s Yohji? You’re supposed to be able to see everything so who has him?” 

He had hoped that it had been Crawford and Schuldig that had collected him but now he had to come to terms with the idea that someone they still trusted in Kritiker had made the approach. 

Crawford pushed his glasses up, “For the record, no, even I can’t foresee every potential outcome of a situation. The farther ahead in time it is the less certain it becomes. What I can do is make sure I chose the right path to achieve a desired goal or effect. 

“And as for Yohji, he’s fine but badly in need of something to take the edge off of his addiction. Be glad it’s only alcohol and not heroin, Fujimiya. No thanks to you Weiss, that’s what he’d be addicted to if it weren’t for Schuldig and I.” 

“So it was you who took him.” It wasn’t great news but better than thinking that someone they trusted had turned against them. He turned to gaze at Jas. “Are Aki or Kei up to travelling?” 

It was obvious that they couldn’t ride the bikes and he wondered if they had cars that could be used. 

“I didn’t say I have Yohji now did I? What I said was that he was seeking what he needs to take the pain away.” Brad shook his head and glanced at Schuldig, “No one but us appears to be capable of comprehending a conversation anymore do they?” 

Jas was staring at Crawford, but it was Aya that he answered. “I’m not sure about Aki, but if the self-important loud-mouth over there is right, we’ve got to move regardless.” 

“I’ll go and check on Aki and Issei,” Nagi offered and slid out of the kitchen. 

He narrowly avoided a minor explosion from Aya. “Do you mean to tell me the fucking idiot went looking for booze? He just walked out into the night on a broken ankle to buy a bottle of whiskey? Stupid bastard!” 

Brad pinched the bridge of his nose and narrowly held his own temper in check. It was fully apparent why Kudoh had been so easy to lure into their embrace. Not one of the Weiss seemed to understand the blond’s problem. 

Aya was obviously beyond pissed with his team mate but he had the sense to realise that now was neither the time nor the place. Instead he asked Jas if they had any cars. 

“Yeah, we’ve got an SUV, but we hate using it. They aren’t especially good for evading or chasing people in traffic and the only time we ever use it is to go shopping.” 

“Get your friends ready to go. Abyssinian and I need to have a little talk,” Crawford said. “In private.” 

“Fine. I’ll get some of our gear together.” Jas eased Kei gently to the tabletop, checked to make sure the man was sleeping, frowned and left the room. 

Aya crossed his arms and stared at Crawford. “I guess I owe you two my thanks,” he said, “but don’t expect Aki to be overjoyed by the sight of Schuldig. He doesn’t know you were both taken over.” 

“You owe us more than you know, Fujimiya. Yohji would have been dead months ago if I hadn’t intervened in his potential lack of a future.” 

Brad stepped farther into the kitchen and helped himself to a bottle of juice from the fridge. 

“Being sedated, even mildly, certainly leaves one’s mouth dry,” he commented as he passed a bottle to Schuldig. 

“Sedated?” Aya frowned. 

“Yes. Farfarello handcuffed us, sedated us, and then left to seek help here. The instant Schuldig and I were free of the mental control of Berger and Mindwarp we were able to get out of the cuffs.” 

Crawford opened the bottle and took a drink. “Much better.” 

He actually moved closer to Schuldig and caressed the German’s face. He was still worried about his lover, but hoped that a few more hours free of the other telepath’s control would restore his lover to his normal sarcastic self. 

“The fact that you were more interested in my statement that Schuldig and I had been sedated than in Yohji’s well-being reveals much more than you realize, Abyssinian.” He turned to face the swordsman, “You really don’t give a damn about him at all, do you?” 

“He’s a team mate,” Aya said. “We might have become more but you very carefully put a stop to that didn’t you?” He sighed. “What exactly do you want with him?” 

Schuldig had taken the juice but still remained silent, as he got over the headache that Berger’s takeover of his mind had left him with. 

“We saved him, that made him mine,” Crawford stated firmly. “And what’s mine I keep. There’s also the fact that, even if we didn’t have a prior claim on him you still don’t understand him well enough. And you have to face the fact that you don’t love him unconditionally. You’d make demands and have expectations that he can never meet. And he never will.” 

He put an arm around Schuldig and pulled the telepath close. He could sense the pain his lover was in and wished there was something he could give to the telepath that would even lessen the hurt, but he didn’t dare give him any drugs. Not right now when minute changes in the decisions at RK or Kritiker might bring trouble down on them. 

“I’ve never asked for his love,” Aya said coolly, “and we’re wasting time if we have to leave so quickly.” He glanced at Kei, hoping the man was up to travelling without doing further damage. Autocratic he might be but he was a lot easier to get along with than the precog was. 

“No, but you were perfectly happy to piss on it weren’t you?” the American stated nastily then turned to Schuldig. “And none of them understand why he drinks. Ah well, as the saying goes, none so blind....” 

Schuldig glanced up then, blue eyes intent. “Much as I hate to admit it, he’s right. They’re getting closer and I’m in no state to take on Phantasm and whoever he brings with him.” 

“None of us are,” Crawford replied flatly as he finished the juice. “Drink that it will help and you know it.” 

Farfarello came back from wherever he’d disappeared to and started to stuff some food and drinks into a duffle bag. “I’m not planning on running from RK with no food like last time,” he muttered. 

Crawford gave Berserker a brittle smile, “Don’t blame me for that.” 

A single amber eye focused on the taller man, “Did I?” 

“No, of course not,” was the sharp-edged reply. 

The two exchanged a silent stare then Crawford raised an eyebrow and Farfarello looked away. 

“Anyone get the tag number of the truck that hit me?” Kei asked softly from where he lay on the table. 

Aya ignored Schwarz and went over to him. “We have to leave,” he said, “apparently RK know where this place is and are on their way. Jas is getting your team organised. Are you able to travel?” 

Kei swung his legs over the edge of the table as he sat up, but he didn’t get down. “I can travel if we’re talking about taking the SUV, I’m just not too sure how far I can ride a bike.” His look was one of annoyance, “Actually I’m not totally certain I can walk to the car either.” 

“I’ll get the car ready,” Farfarello said as he headed for the door that led into the garage. 

“Where is Hisato’s body?” 

Farfarello stopped, “In the garage.” 

“I’ll want him brought with us.” 

Farfarello regarded the man silently for a moment then nodded. 

Schuldig swallowed the last of the juice and cricked his neck. He was feeling better now but not quite ready to face up to another round. 

Nagi returned then with Issei leading a shaken Aki with an arm around the smaller man. He’d heard the last of the conversation and silently followed Farfarello out to the garage. 

Issei glared at Crawford and Schuldig but said nothing, his concern being all for the explosives expert right now. 

Akira couldn’t even look at Kei, didn’t want to remember what he’d done in this very room. He started to shake and a new trickle of tears filled his eyes. He turned his head and saw Schuldig. 

“BASTARD!” he screamed and went for the blue-eyed German. 

Crawford stepped between his lover and the distraught demolitions expert, but as he’d guessed it wasn’t necessary: Kei had come off the kitchen table and wrapped his arms around his team mate, pulling him close. 

“Shhhh... It’s okay Aki. It wasn’t him and the telepath that did it will never hurt anyone ever again. Shh...” he murmured. His legs were shaking and the room was spinning, but he wouldn’t let any more harm come to the smaller man. 

He’d already suffered enough. 

Schuldig hung his head. If they were going to work with these people in order to save their hides, they’d got off to the very worst of starts. “It wasn’t really me,” he murmured but then thought better of speech and lapsed into silence. 

*I think Nagi and Farf have finished in the garage. Perhaps we should let them get themselves sorted out without us present.* He didn’t think Crawford’s claims on Kudoh were going down too well with Fujimiya either but that was a pissing contest for another day, if they could escape RK’s clutches for long enough. 

Brad turned around and took Schuldig’s chin in his hand, forcing the telepath’s head up, concern for his lover taking priority over the rest of what was going on. “Don’t apologize,” he murmured. “You weren’t the only one under control and you aren’t to blame.” He pressed his lips to Schuldig’s mouth, the touch far more gentle than anyone present other than his own team would have thought him capable of. 

“Issei, help me with Aki. I...” Kei’s legs started to buckle which gave Aki the chance to break free 

Instead the small drummer tried to keep Kei from collapsing. “Kei? Oh god, did I shoot you too?” 

“No, Aki. You didn’t,” Kei replied. 

Issei darted forward, and helped Aki to ease Kei back onto the table. His honey eyes glanced at Aya. “Can you help Kei while I help Aki?” 

Aya nodded and moved forward to support Kei while Issei gently disengaged Aki from their leader. 

Meanwhile Schuldig returned Crawford’s kiss but soon pulled away, feeling uncomfortable in these surroundings and with hostile gazes upon him. It was a new emotion for him, this guilt. He was the guilty one so why should he care about these mundanes anyway? 

Whatever Berger had done to him, it had left him feeling unusually vulnerable. 

Jas came in then, nearly lost amid a number of duffle bags, all of them loaded with gear for the rest of his team. “If someone can get these into the SUV, I’ll get mine and Kei’s bag and we can get out of here.” 

He didn’t notice the tense tableau, or the fact that Kei was awake until he’d dropped the heavy load on the floor. 

“You going to live?” 

Kei nodded but his gaze went to the Schwarz leader and his telepath. It was Jas that had almost killed the German and he wondered if there would be trouble over that later. “You all right?’ 

“Yeah. I’ve got a headache that would kill God, but I guess I’ll live.” 

At Jas’ comment Farfarello-- who’d just come back from helping Nagi in the garage-- chuckled and started gathering up a few of the duffle bags. They were heavier than he’d expected and he turned a respectful eye on the sleek, blond killer. 

Crawford put an arm around Schuldig. *What’s wrong?* 

Schuldig shook his head. *I don’t feel normal yet. I’ll be okay in a while.* He glanced at the other group and Aya *They seem to have accepted us so far but I think we should travel separately.* 

*They haven’t accepted us, they’ve just accepted the means to a desired end.* Crawford didn’t like the way his lover was acting. He’d been fine when they’d first gained their freedom-- except for the pain in his head-- but instead of getting better Schuldig seemed to be getting worse. *Yes, perhaps keeping the teams separated is a good idea.* 

Farfarello vanished into the garage with the first load of gear while Jas left to get the remainder of the gear they’d need. 

Kei watched him go through the slow spin the room was doing. He was disoriented and knew full well it was a sign he’d lost far too much blood. Just staying upright was a task he found tiring. 

But he also couldn’t surrender to the weakness. 

“So we’re leaving. Are we going to the farm or are we meeting them at a designated rendezvous point?” 

“What about Yohji?” Aya spoke up for the first time in a while. “Ken and Omi would try to find him under normal circumstances. Would your people have let them do that?” He was under no illusions as to who would be in charge at the farm. 

“Finally you care about Kudoh,” Schuldig said with a shadow of his old sneer. 

Brad pinched the bridge of his nose and sighed in exasperation. “They don’t need to find him, Fujimiya. Weren’t you listening before? He’s not missing. He’s in search of something to take the edge off his addiction.” 

Kei’s frosty stare was levelled on Aya. Dizzy or not, he didn’t appreciate the implication that his team would refuse to let the former Weiss find their team mate. Then again... 

“Yes. Unless Kate exercised my order not to bring any liabilities into the team,” he stated not bothering to gloss over the orders he’d given to Shadow regarding the wreckage that had once been Balinese. 

His answer seemed to satisfy Aya as he said no more on the subject, merely raising a brow and saying, “I’ll help you to the car.” Crawford he ignored completely, his urge to simply kill the man far too strong to want to argue with him right now. He had the sense to realise that they might just need his skills. 

Issei also raised his brows. It was unlike Kei to let someone like Kudoh live unless the man was worth more alive than his addictions suggested. 

For his part, Kei didn’t honestly expect to see Balinese alive. He’d given the order and he suspected Kate would carry it out with her usual efficiency. 

Unless she found a legitimate reason to keep the drunkard alive. 

“Let’s get out of here,” he ordered as Jas rejoined them. 

“We know our way there, we’ll be right behind you,” Crawford stated. 

Jas regarded the precog and his pet telepath. “I’ll take point then just to be certain we’re not running into an ambush.” He glanced at Aya, then focused his eyes firmly on Aki and Issei to give Aya a clue as to why he’d say the next thing. “You better drive the SUV.”


	9. Chapter 9

Kate took the food off the heat and ran to the front door at Ken’s disbelieving yell. There had been no sounds of struggle, no voices to suggest that someone else had been there. That left only one possibility. The stupid bastard had gone in search of booze.

Her phone rang and she listened as Aya told her what had happened at the hotel and the house. Not wanting to drop Yohji in the shit she gave Aya the idea that he might have been kidnapped. Then she shut the phone with a snap, wondering if things could get any worse. 

Omi had headed straight for the door, his young face worried. “He can’t have gone far on a broken ankle, Ken-kun,” he said soothingly, though whether it was an attempt to reassure Ken or himself she wasn’t sure. 

“Tsuki, stay here and keep watch,” she ordered. “Ken, Omi, let’s fan out. I’ll go north.” That was the direction of the nearest store although Yohji wouldn’t know that. Then she stopped and stared. The crappy little Toyota was missing. “Tsuki, forget that! Get on your bike and look for the Toyota.” 

Ken swore angrily and grabbed his helmet off the coffee table. “I’ll fucking go find the shithead. I knew I should have watched the sneaky bastard.” 

He went out the door striding angrily for his bike. “We can take turns choking him senseless when I get him back here.” 

“Hidaka, stay here! Our bikes are faster than yours. Besides, I want Omi kept safe.” 

She grabbed her own helmet and ran for her bike, Tsuki close behind. They took off down the dirt drive clearly seeing the tracks of the Toyota. She spoke into her comm. 

“At the end of the drive go right. Kudoh doesn’t know the area and may have gone that way by mistake. I’ll head into town.” 

“How long do you want me to look for him?” 

“No longer than an hour. After that get back to the farm and take care of the other two. Hidaka’s about ready to explode.” 

She gunned her bike and headed for the town. There was a convenience store that sold liquor there and sure enough the Toyota was parked outside of it. She stopped the bike and waited for Yohji to come out. 

His ankle was killing him but Yohji had what he needed and hobbled outside the crutch helping him so he didn’t need to put any weight on it at all. 

On the upside he had two six packs of beer and a lot of sports tape that he could use to immobilize whatever was broken. 

He came to a stop when he saw the helmeted figure on the motorcycle. 

_I’m fucking dead._

He made his way to the Toyota and tried not to think about what he was in for now. 

Seeing the beer, Kate relaxed slightly. Had he come out of there with spirits she would have to really fight with the man to keep him alive. Beer would take the edge off his craving without rendering him drunk. It was the one and only point in his favour. 

“Tsuki, go back to the farm. I’ve found him.” 

“Okay.” 

She climbed off the bike and marched across to Yohji. “I’m only going to say this once. Try these tricks with Kei or Jas and they’ll kill you.” 

“Let’s not go there, okay? I was told I could only drink beer. I didn’t have any, now I do.” He offered her a somewhat sheepish smile, “Besides I got tape to immobilize my ankle too. We seem to have left our good first aid kit behind at the shop.” 

“One of us could have got the beer and the tape for you,” she said. Then she stepped forward and slapped his face. “You scared the shit out of me!” 

Yohji just stared at her, a bright red handprint appearing on his face. He put the sack of beer and tape down on the roof of the car and then put his free arm around her and set his mouth to hers in apology. 

Forgetting her fear and worry she returned his kiss before drawing away. “Let’s get back to the farm. I’ve a feeling we’re going to have a lot of arrivals soon.” 

Yohji turned away. “I’m no one you should even care about, Kate. You’ve got to know that.” He picked up the bag. “I’ll see you up at the house. I have to drive slow because of the clutch and brake. It’s really tricky.” 

“What makes you think I’m any better than you?” she asked as she headed for her bike. “I know all about you, Kudoh, and you know squat about me or how I feel.” 

“That’s exactly my point. You do know what I am. That’s why I don’t understand why you’d let me get close to you at all. What is it they say about familiarity breeding contempt? Even my own team mates know better.” 

Kate turned to stare at him, green eyes angry. “Stop feeling sorry for yourself, Kudoh. We’re all at least knee deep in blood so what makes you so fucking special?” And why the hell did she care? Kei was convinced Kudoh was a liability, one best disposed of and she could see his point but… She shook her head. “I’ll follow you back. Wouldn’t want you to get lost would we?” 

His jade eyes flashed when he turned to look at her, “I’m not feeling sorry for myself, I’m trying to keep you from getting hurt!” he snapped and got into the car. 

And he would hurt her. Not physically, but emotionally. 

No, it was better if he fought his urges and just let Brad and Schuldig give him the pleasure he seemed to be as addicted to as he was to the drinking and cigarettes. 

She tugged her helmet on and climbed on the bike. He was right; he did have the ability to make her hurt herself over him. She sighed as she started the engine and followed the car back to the farm. 

Driving down to the store had been pure torment. Driving back was torture. 

The moment Yohji stopped the car in the driveway he opened a beer and took a long drink. 

Kate parked the bike and stalked into the house without even glancing at him. If he wanted to be an asshole he’d be treated like one. She went back to the kitchen and continued to prepare the food. 

Her thoughts were bleak as she worked. With the interest being shown between Jas and Aya and the various other burgeoning relationships in the team all she could see for herself was a long and very lonely future. 

Unless RK got her first that was. 

_What were you thinking? You read the intel, knew the score._

She served up the omelettes and left the rest of them to eat, heading for the porch and some fresh air. She stared out into space, seeing nothing but her own inner turmoil until the sound of vehicles approaching brought her back to a sense of her surroundings. Luckily she knew the sound of Jas’s bike. 

Yohji heard the approaching sound of a motorcycle. He knew the sound and finished off his beer and struggled to get out of the car. His leg hurt horribly and he thought about asking Kate for help then reconsidered and kept his mouth shut. 

He used the door of the car and his crutch to lever himself out of the car, picked up the bag of beer and tape and limped slowly toward the house. 

His head came up suddenly, and he actually smiled. He could feel them both. No, he felt all four of the Schwarz clearly, but it was the American and German that he wanted to see. 

*Schuldig?* 

*Hello, Katzchen.* Schuldig’s mental voice sounded dull, listless. There was none of his usual devil-may-care attitude, no hint of his usual humour. And there was no mental touch. 

And Yohji noticed it instantly. *What’s wrong?* 

*I’m fucking tired, okay? I’ve got a splitting headache and I was forced to make one of our present allies kill another. Other than that I’m just peachy!* 

Yohji sighed. *So the answer is we’ve all had a shitty day thanks to RK. Nothing really new there. I’ve got some beer. Stop and get more if you can convince Brad we really need it. 

*And with Aya and that jackass Silence here, we’re going to need it.* 

*Frankly, Katzchen, beer is the last thing I want right now. If someone can offer me a bed and a good night’s sleep I’ll be their devoted servant. Well, till morning maybe.* 

There was a small flash of Schuldig’s usual personality, but inside something seemed different, broken. 

There was something very wrong with Schuldig. *I’ve got what you want, Schuldig. I’ll even give you a scalp massage if you help me tape my ankle. It’s broken thanks to Ken.* 

*Tape your own damned ankle! I told you, I’m tired now leave me alone.* The connection was cut off quite deliberately. 

Yohji closed his eyes. He felt so alone again. Alone and so very tired. 

Jas came up the dirt drive and saw the blond drunk standing there on a crutch. The image was just so appropriate that he would have smiled if it hadn't simply made him want to put a bullet into the other man's head and end his misery for him. 

~Jason, he needs understanding, not death,~ his sister's voice whispered into his mind. 

_What's to understand?_

~His pain. He carries the agony of a loss just like you do. If he deserves to die, then so do you.~ 

_And you know my answer to that._

~Yes, I do and you know it's not true. 

~Besides, that awful Nightmare did something to him to make that pain worse. I'm not totally sure what was done, but it's there. It's a layer of blackness over his heart that only a ghost can see I guess. And that other evil man hurt Schuldig, though of the two he might have gotten some good out of it. He's not so much the arrogant bastard as he was before. 

~Still, it makes him a liability rather than an asset.~ 

_They're all liabilities if you ask me._

~All of them? Even that man you like so much?~ 

_I don't like him._

~You've been kissing him. If that means you don't like him, I'd wouldn't want to see what you'd do with him if you decide you hate him.~ 

_You won't because there won't be anything to see._ It was why Jas never took a lover, why the very thought both thrilled and repulsed him. If he made love with someone his own sister would have to watch, and the idea made him feel slightly ill. 

~Don't be that way. I promise I won't look.~ 

_Yes you will. I know you will._

~I won't look at you, okay?~ 

_No, it's not okay. It won't ever be okay._

~Jas I'm dead, does it really matter?~ 

_Yes._

Jas stopped his bike and sat there staring at the former Weiss as he struggled to walk. 

~Well don't just sit here like a lump. Go help him.~ 

_No._

Crawford passed the SUV on the dirt road, almost taking out a row of some kind of vegetation at the edge of the field, scattering dust and gravel as he did. 

He glanced at Schuldig seeing something very wrong in his lover's blank stare. 

And then he spotted Yohji and his gaze went dark, angry because the damned DSS man known as Silence was just sitting there watching the other blond struggle along. 

It made him furious that both teams could be so uncaring but then consider Schwarz evil. 

Of all of them it was Kate that went to Yohji’s aid, getting a shoulder under his free arm and helping him into the house. As she passed Jas she shot him a withering look of reproach but said nothing. 

The SUV pulled to a halt and Aya climbed out ready to help the others. He too shot a look at Jas but quickly looked away. If what he’d heard was true and the man lived with the ghost of his sister it made things rather difficult. He imagined how he would feel if his sister was inside his head, instead of at a nursing school in England, and shuddered slightly. No wonder Jas came across as a frigid virgin even if he had felt the fire under the ice. 

Jas just turned a frosty stare on Kate, got off his bike and headed for the SUV and his primary concern: Kei, their wounded leader. 

Brad was already opening the car door as he slammed it into park. “Nagi, take care of Schuldig,” he said as he headed right for Shadow and the struggling blond. 

“Let me, I’m stronger and he needs off that foot,” Brad told her as he removed the bag from Yohji’s hand and presented it to her before scooping the sleek blond into his arms. 

“I’m not fucking helpless,” Yohji grumbled. 

“No, you aren’t. Not totally, but if you don’t stop using that leg you’re going to wind up doing irreparable damage.” 

He actually offered Kate a slight smile, “If you would be so kind to get the door, please?” 

Kate sighed slightly but opened the door so that Crawford could carry Yohji inside. It would be interesting to see what Ken and Omi made of that particular sight. 

She was nearly knocked off her feet as Tsuki bounded past her and sprinted for the SUV. Her lips twitched but she said nothing. Things would work out as they were meant to she had always believed that and still did. 

Tsuki reached the SUV to find Aya and Jas glaring at each other. Doing a bit of glaring himself he brushed past them and leaned into the vehicle ready to help Kei. What he saw made him wince slightly in sympathy but inside he felt better. The man was as near to being a going concern as anyone in his condition had a right to be. 

Aki was more of a worry, the small man still shaking slightly and staring into something only he, and possibly Issei, could see. They might have won this round but the cost had been too fucking high. 

Kei opened his eyes and tried to get out of the SUV, but there was Tsuki standing there and Jas and Aya glaring at one another right behind him. 

“Drama queens,” he muttered and winked at Tsuki. “I need to pee, help me inside and then we can plan our next move.” 

Darkness tapped Issei’s hand to get the other man’s attention. “Bring Aki inside. He needs food and some rest.” 

Issei nodded and helped Aki out of the car. Tsuki’s brows rose slightly at this hitherto unseen protective streak in the quiet keyboardist. He reached in to let Kei use his arms to help lever himself up and helped him to get to his feet. 

The glaring was still going on, much to his disgust. 

“Why don’t you go help take care of the drunk, I’ll get Kei inside,” Jas suggested. 

“I think Crawford and Shadow have that covered between them,” Aya retorted. 

“I think you both need to get out of the damned way,” Tsuki said, his patience wearing thin. 

“Go fuck and get it over with. I need both of you focused on what’s happening, not on your dicks,” Kei snapped as he leaned on Tsuki. 

Crawford put Yohji down on the couch so that he’d have easy access to the man’s ankle which desperately needed even the most basic medical care. Care which no one had bothered to render. 

Ken stared at Crawford. “We can take care of him.” 

“Really?” Brad’s sarcastic tone was so thick it could have been served up on plates. “considering he’s hobbling around on a broken ankle and no one seemed to care--“he looked at Kate, “--except her, I’d rather not leave him to the dubious care of anyone else.” 

“I’ll bind his ankle,” Omi offered. “I would have done it before but what with one thing and another…” He gazed up at Crawford. “And if you know him so well you should know that he sometimes makes it difficult to show the proper care.” 

“Thank you, Omi. I think I have a few hungry men to feed,” Kate said. She went back to the kitchen to make a fresh batch of omelettes for those who’d just arrived and was pleased to see that someone had had the sense to buy tea and coffee. Abyssinian at a guess. “Ken, could you stop glowering and make some tea and coffee please?” 

Her thoughts strayed to Crawford’s words as she worked and, although she didn’t like the man, she could see the justice in them. It was just the sarcastic way they’d been said to people who were already tired and, in Ken’s case, volatile. Then it struck her. 

“You know, while you were at the mercy of Mindwarp’s whims Ken and Yohji were fighting off their own telepathic attacks. I doubt if RK would be terribly interested in getting Yohji’s ankle fixed.” She said no more as Issei entered the house with Aki at that point to be closely followed by Tsuki helping Kei. 

Ken stared at his traitor team mate-- or would that be former team mate?-- for a moment, then he turned his angry stare on Crawford. 

"Don't say a word," Yohji told Ken sharply which brought a scowl to the former soccer player's face. 

Crawford saw Issei put Aki into a chair. Schuldig wasn't the only one suffering post traumatic stress but right now there wasn't much that could be done for the little drummer. He only hoped Schuldig would come around on his own, and quickly. They couldn't afford to have him unable to function, not with the might that RK could still throw at them. 

The American just smirked and put his arms around Yohji before giving the blond a gentle kiss. "Behave," he ordered softly. "I'll be back." 

"There's something really wrong with Schuldig." 

"I know. Now rest. I'll take care of it." He glanced at the injured DSS leader, "In fact, I'll take care of everything," he said as he gave a gentle caress to Yohji's face. 

Crawford looked at Omi, "Take care of him and Darkness. They're both in need of doctors which we don't dare take them to at this point. Not with Kritiker looking for you Weiss and RK intent on our capture or death." 

Kei felt his legs trying to give out and he held tighter to Tsuki as the room started to blur in his vision. 

Crawford lent a hand to Tsuki and got Kei into a chair. "Don't let him get up. He's lost too much blood." 

The American headed for the door then paused to look at Ken, "Coffee, tea. Move." 

“Go fu--" 

Ken didn't even finish what he'd been about to say. Stars glittered in his vision and he realized he was being held to a wall by a hand in the front of his shirt and that Crawford's face was very close to his own. "Do not make trouble. We've already got enough of that without you adding more. Understood!" 

"Fuck--" a fist slamming into Ken's stomach shut him up and he felt the cold touch of a pistol pressed to his temple. 

"Get this straight now, Hidaka. Anything you do to jeopardize us might just induce me to blow your brains out. We don't need your shit! Got it?" 

He heard Yohji sigh, "Brad, try not to be such an ass. He doesn't like you." 

"I don't fucking care what he does or doesn't like! He learns to work with us, or he can die now, his choice," the Schwarz leader stated harshly. 

Ken glowered at the older man. 

"Do you want to live, or do you want a bullet now?" 

"No." 

"Then learn to do what you're told," Crawford snapped. 

Ken nodded grudgingly. "All right. Fine. Whatever." 

A hand cracked across his cheek. "Not whatever. Obey or die." 

"Okay, okay I get it!" 

Brad let him go, returned the gun to the holster under his left arm and straightened his tie. "Be glad it was me, and not Kei or his right hand-killer Jas. They wouldn't have shown my patience." 

Tsuki raised a brow at Crawford’s attitude, his mouth twitching in wry humour. “Bossy isn’t he?” he murmured to Kei. 

Schuldig wandered in toting a duffle bag full of guns which he dumped by an armchair that he promptly sank into holding his head. He very carefully didn’t look at Aki. 

Nobody said anything else until Kate poked her head round the kitchen door. “I’ve made a fresh batch of omelettes if anyone is hungry. Omi, make sure Yohji eats something please.” She glanced at Kei, grimacing slightly at how pale he was. “Tea’s on its way,” she told him. 

Kei offered Kate a tight nod, and relaxed carefully back into his chair. He was really starting to hurt, and the dizziness just wasn't going away. He reached out and touched Tsuki's hand, folding too cool fingers around it in a gentle grip. 

Ken vanished into the kitchen to do as he'd been ordered, but there was fury in his gaze as he shot a glance at Yohji as if blaming the older man for what had just happened. 

Brad spun to face the kitchen, "If you so much as wrinkle his clothes Hidaka I'll shoot out both your knees and leave you where the next RK team can find you." 

"Brad, take it easy," Yohji said in his most soothing voice. 

He got a hard stare. "I protect what's mine, you know that." 

Yohji nodded and gave his lover a smile, "Sure, sure, I know. But you don't have to treat them like enemies. That's over now, okay?” 

Brad's mouth compressed, "Is it?" he asked his tone bitter. 

"Tell him Omi," Yohji urged hoping the boy could at least offer to get along. 

But it was Kei that spoke up, his voice soft yet it pierced the silence like a gunshot. "Yes. There will be no more fighting. No more bickering. Understood?" 

“Understood,” Issei said in his quiet way although it was fairly obvious that he wouldn’t even look at Schuldig. 

Tsuki nodded and gently returned the pressure of Kei’s fingers. “Understood,” he agreed. 

Kate glanced at Crawford but nodded before retreating to the kitchen. 

Omi continued to wrap Yohji’s leg, his expression unhappy. Finally he glanced up at Kei. “I won’t bicker,” he said but it was noticeable that it was all he did promise and as soon as he’d finished with Yohji’s ankle he stepped away from the older man. There was accusation in his blue eyes and betrayal. 

A slight movement in the doorway heralded the approach of Jas and Aya. The redhead read the situation immediately. Omi, Aki and Issei were obviously unhappy and Yohji was acting like a lover with Crawford. 

_Which he is. I should never have let his beauty sway me._ He glanced at Jas. _I won’t make that mistake again. I’m better alone._

Aloud he said, “Omi, we have to work together for now despite what happened in the past.” 

Schuldig finally looked up then, the bright blue of his eyes haunted. “Looks like my sins have come back to bite us, Brad. I had no desire to do what was done to you,” he told Aki and Issei before turning his cerulean gaze on Omi. He sighed. 

“Farfarello is too good a shot to have missed you and killed the girl by mistake. She was her father’s daughter in all but name. A true Takatori and she deserved to die. Of course, you’ll never believe that because you are your father’s son and obsessed with the protection of supposed innocents. One day you’ll grow up and realise that there are precious few of them out there.” 

His haunted gaze fell on Aki. “And those that are get used by the predators like us.” 

Kei shook his head. "There are no innocents in this room. We're every one of us killers, Schuldig. Don't mistake his remorse over the death of Hisato as innocence. You see, Aki is probably one of the most ruthless killers you will ever meet." Kei smiled. "Other than myself or Jas that is." 

Brad was watching Aya and Jas as he sat down on the arm of the chair where Schuldig was. He put a hand on the German's shoulder, leaned down until his lips touched the fire of the telepath's hair and asked, *Tell me what's wrong, and don't tell me your head hurts. It's more than that. Both Yohji and I feel it.* 

Out loud Brad said, "If you want to live, we have to work together, otherwise," he met Kei's gaze seeing the pain there that the man would not yield to in the tight set of his mouth and the dulled eyes, "none of us will make it." 

Yohji wished Brad would have come over to hold him, but he had a suspicion that if he'd gone to sit with Schuldig the German needed him more. 

Ken came out with a tray of cups, a pot of coffee and one of tea which he set down on the coffee table in the middle of the living room. He didn't say a thing as he went to join Omi, his expression still full of barely restrained hostility. 

Farfarello came in and stood quietly by the door. 

"Anything?" Crawford asked him. 

"No. Not yet." 

Schuldig’s mind was silent, his shields firmly in place so that even his surface thoughts could not be read. It would not be a good idea to let any of them know they were all doomed. 

His gaze travelled the room taking in Yohji’s broken ankle, Kei’s gunshot wound, Aki’s trembling frame, the animosity towards him coming off Issei, Ken and Omi in waves, the distrust and dislike from Aya, nothing at all from his companion and a jealous buzz from the kitchen that told him all he needed to know about Kate. 

Suddenly he laughed. They were all dead. But Nagi deserved a chance of survival so he would put up a fight together with the rest even though they would lose. 

The American closed his eyes, swaying slightly on the chair arm. “They’ll know we’re together in approximately six hours. In just over twenty-four they’ll come here after us with the intention of killing everyone.” 

Crawford opened his eyes and met Kei’s gaze. “We’ll need to move before then.” 

“Suggestions?” Kei asked. “Anywhere we might have normally gone, I’m sure they are aware of by now.” 

Crawford draped an arm around Schuldig. “We can run, or we can take the fight to them.” 

Jas moved to stand closer to Kei. “We’re in no condition to fight right now. We need time.” 

“Time isn’t something we’ve got in abundance,” Crawford replied. 

“Why not?” Yohji asked. “If we run and keep running we can stay ahead of them, or go somewhere it’s not so easy for us to find.” 

“I wasn’t their only precog,” Brad remarked. “I’m just the best they’d let out of their grasp, and the most accurate away from a controlled environment.” 

“There is nowhere to run to,” Aya said flatly, “just as your German pet is thinking right now. Yes we can leave here but every time we move it makes us weaker, more vulnerable and their talents can spot us wherever we go.” He glanced at Kei as he spoke but very deliberately didn’t look at Yohji. 

“We need to make this place a trap. Lure them in then blow it to smithereens. That might just buy us the time to heal.” 

The Schwarz leader just shook his head, “That’s not going to work. Didn’t you hear me? Precognitive. They’ll use the ones they have to keep them from falling into any traps we set.” 

“He’s right, Abyssinian. This isn’t the right place. Too many buildings and the crops would serve as another hiding place,” Kei stated. “The basic plan is good, the location isn’t.” 

“I bet I know what you’re thinking,” Jas stated. 

“I’m sure you do,” Kei remarked. 

Jas smiled and pulled out his cell phone. 

“Eat and rest. Jas will take care of the arrangements.” 

Tsuki smiled and poured a bowl of tea which he held to Kei’s lips as Jas made his call. 

Aya nodded as both Crawford and Kei stated their objections. He knew he could shield them from telepaths but he wasn’t sure he could hide any plans they might make from precogs. And on reflection he realised Kei was right about the buildings and crops. 

“Can anything hide our intentions?” he asked Crawford. 

“Nagi can for a short while, but he can’t do it indefinitely.” 

*Schuldig, tell me what’s wrong.* Brad urged trying to reach his lover’s mind. 

“Maybe a diversion of some kind would help,” Ken commented. 

Jas stepped away from the others and started to speak into the phone in a language that was certainly not Japanese or English. 

Brad glanced at Farfarello, “Tell Nagi to come in. I think it might be to our advantage not to have RK be able to see that conversation.” 

Schuldig gazed up at his lover. *We’re all going to die, Brad. We all deserve to die.* He laughed again the sound hollow and bitter. 

Nagi returned with Farfarello and immediately realised what was needed. He concentrated on his talent and raised a telekinetic shield around the farmhouse. “I can hold this for about ten minutes, no longer than that.” 

Crawford frowned. *No Schuldig. That’s not true and you know it. We aren’t going to die. We were never going to die,* he reassured his lover. He leaned close again pulling the German into his embrace. *I’m not going to let anyone take this from me. I won’t let them have what’s mine. Now pull yourself back together. Don’t let that bastard’s tampering control you because that’s what’s happening. You’re stronger than he ever was. Don’t let him have a post mortem victory.* 

Kei glanced at Jas who just shrugged. “Do it then. It might buy us some time.” 

*I’ll try, but – no double crossing them, Brad. Those we didn’t destroy would destroy us. We need them. And both Abyssinian and Siberian are like us. Some of the others too, especially the blond and the woman, we can’t betray our own.* 

*I’ve no intention of double-crossing them, Schuldig. Once this is over with we’ll all be able to go our separate ways. That’s always what I’ve wanted, to be able to walk away from all this killing and live peacefully with my family.* 

Yohji couldn’t help looking at Brad and Schuldig. He knew Brad and the telepath loved each other-- in their way-- but he also knew that those emotions didn’t extend to him. It was bitter truth, just like the fact that much as he loved Aya, he’d never have Aya for his lover. 

Jas picked up his conversation as if it had never been stopped and within a moment it was done. He turned to the others. “There will be a charter jet waiting for us at Tokyo airport in three hours, It will leave in three and one half hours, whether we are on board or not.” 

“And where, may I ask, will we be going?” Crawford questioned. 

Kei offered the Schwarz leader a cool smile, “That’s just it, you may not ask.” 

Aya turned his head to hide a slight smile. The more he got to know Kei the more he trusted and respected the man and this handling of Crawford was simply the icing on the cake. 

Kate brought trays covered with plates of food from the kitchen and began distributing them. She had managed to find three pieces of steak in the bags of grocery Weiss had bought and she made sure that Kei got one of them to feed his blood. Another was placed in front of Aki while Schuldig got the third. Everyone else got omelettes packed full of vegetables. 

Kei gave Kate a wan smile. “Give it to Crawford. I’m not sure I should try to eat for a day or two.” 

Crawford’s gaze lost focus for a brief instant. “Eat it. She’s right; you’ll need your strength.” 

Aki simply paled and shook his head. “Thank you, Kate but just looking at that...” tears started to dampen his eyelashes and he got up and walked out of the room heading for the stairs. 

“Aki.” Just his name said gently by Kei, but the drummer returned to the room and sat down in the chair farthest from the food. 

Yohji gladly took his plate, sitting up to eat. He didn’t really care much for eggs but he was hungry and that’s all there was. 

Jas took a look at his plate and frowned before dumping the entire contents of it onto Aya’s plate. 

“No offence, Kate, but I’ll make something else.” He vanished into the kitchen. 

Kei shook his head and dug into his meal. “He’s not going to do anything but down something full of sugar.” 

Ken poured Omi more tea and refilled his own drink. “So we’re going on a plane and we don’t know where we’re going?” 

“Yes, we’re taking a plane, and I know where we’re going. You don’t need to.” Kei told the former Weiss. 

Aya glanced up from his omelette. “The less we know, Hidaka, the less we can inadvertently let slip.” 

Omi nodded. It made sense to him. 

Issei picked up Aki’s untouched steak and began to eat it although he looked as if he was having to force every last mouthful down. 

Jas came out of the kitchen with a bottle of Ken’s sports drink in one hand and several plums in the other. He went to Aki and held out the plums. 

“I...” but the drummer saw the look on Jas’ face and took the plums without further comment. A frosty stare made him put one into his mouth and take a bite. 

Jas turned and surveyed everyone in the room. “We’ve got a hard weight limit as the plane was never meant to carry all of you, just us and our gear.” 

Kei raised an eyebrow. 

“At a rough calculation I’d say us and a few weapons. No luggage at all.” 

Kei nodded. “You heard him. Make your choice of weapons. It’s the one good thing about chartered flights, no airport security to deal with.” 

"I don't need any weapons," Nagi said the strain of holding the shield beginning to tell. "Can I let this go for a while?" 

Kei nodded. 

Aya continued to eat not having to make a choice. The katana would be going with him. 

"My crossbow and darts," Omi said quietly, saddened that it was the only thing he could truly call his anymore. 

"I have my pistol," Schuldig said with a shrug. 

"I've got my wire and the pistol Brad gave me," Yohji stated as he set his plate aside. 

"Aya should take a pistol if there's a spare," Ken told them. "He'd never admit it, but he's a damn good shot." 

Kei put his plate aside unable to finish it with the pain threatening to make him bring it all back up which was something he wanted to avoid. He wondered-- too late-- if having him eat wasn't the way Crawford planned to gain control of all three teams. On second thought he didn't think the man would even really try. Not when there was zero chance of his own team obeying the American. 

He frowned. Unless he'd asked them to do so because he was fully incapacitated or dying. 

No. He's a bastard but we're his salvation and he knows it. But was that really true? He had no way of knowing the answer to that, but Jas did and the blond seemed as calm and unruffled as he'd ever seen him. In a way Jas' return to what passed as normal behavior for him after being so recently under the control of a telepath was slightly disturbing. 

Shouldn't there be some sort of reaction or change? Some sign of uneasiness or...? But this was Jas and he'd never been like any normal person. Not in all the time Kei had known him. 

Then too Kei was hardly a good example of 'normal' either so who was he to judge anyone else? 

Crawford was watching the DSS leader from the corner of his eye, waiting for the man to finally slip out of consciousness as he knew would happen fairly soon. That much blood loss couldn't just be shrugged off. 

"We've all got our weapons on us. Those," he indicated the bag on the floor, "are spares." 

Aya could see Kei beginning to drift into unconsciousness but wasn’t too worried. There wasn’t one member of his team that wouldn’t look after him. He put his plate down and snorted in self-mocking derision. 

If he were in the same condition as Kei right now he doubted if any of his former team would protect him as readily. Ken might stand over him, Omi might bind his wounds but Yohji’s loyalties seemed to lie elsewhere now. 

_Your own fault, Fujimiya, you pushed him away. Which was exactly what Crawford wanted but never mind._

The feel of eyes on him made him glance up to find Jas watching him. 

_And that’s not going to work either, you stupid jerk. Maybe you should get a tattoo like Kudoh just to remind you._

“Well as much as we might want to hang around here and chat, I think we should get ourselves moving. Three hours to get from here to the airport in Tokyo is pushing it a bit, don’t you think so?” Crawford asked as he pulled Schuldig to his feet. 

Kei’s eyes opened. “Jas takes point. Crawford brings up the rear to the airport. Aya rides with Jas, Yohji with Crawford, Nagi in the SUV with me, Aki and Issei. 

“I want Kate and Tsuki on bikes between the point people and the SUV, Ken and Omi between the SUV and Crawford’s car. Everyone else sort yourselves out for the trip wherever there’s room. Leave that shit Toyota. It won’t work if we need to go at any speed.” 

Crawford frowned, and then nodded. It was an excellent use of all three teams’ abilities. “Very impressive,” he said giving credit where it was due. 

Kei gave him a slight nod in acknowledgement of the compliment. “Let’s go.” 

Tsuki helped Kei to his feet and kept a supporting arm around him all the way to the SUV. Once there he eased him into the back seat with all the care of a mother cat with one kitten. 

Aya sighed at the thought of yet another trip on the back of a bike but at least it wouldn’t be Ken’s and he wouldn’t have to hold Jas round the waist – if he didn’t want to. 

Issei climbed behind the wheel of the SUV. 

Jas finished his drink, tossed the bottle in the general direction of the kitchen, and headed for the door. 

He hadn’t taken two steps before Crawford’s hand closed on his shoulder. He turned a cool gaze on the taller man. 

“Let Aya protect your mind, don’t rely on your sister. Phantasm is still out there somewhere and we can’t take chances,” the older American told him. 

“I thought you said it would be hours before RK realized that we’d teamed up.” 

“It will be. But that’s RK, not Phantasm. With the rest of his team dead, he’s looking for blood and he’s got nothing to lose.” 

Jas looked at Aya. “Think you can protect me?” 

It was Kei that answered, “Give him your trust, Jas. He can do it.” 

Silence’s grey eyes narrowed. “I’m not sure about that.” 

“I trusted him, Jas.” 

“And got shot,” the blond shot back. 

Kei’s lips compressed into an angry line. “Do you want me to make it an order?” 

“No.” 

Jas shot an angered glare at Crawford who just offered him a tight smile that Jas turned his back on. “Come on, Abyssinian.” 

Aya knew well the futility of glaring at Crawford: the man was impervious to them. Instead he shrugged and followed Jas to one of the bikes saying, “I can protect both of you and, from what little I’ve heard about Phantasm, I might have to. He’s not above attacking a ghost.” 

At least Jas still had his sister in ghost form, his was lost to him forever even though she still lived and breathed somewhere. 

Jas just grunted to show he'd heard what Abyssinian had said as they walked to his bike. "Remember to turn on your comm, it's inside the helmet." 

Aya switched on the comm and climbed on the back of the bike without another word. 

Crawford meanwhile had picked Yohji up and was carrying him toward his Mercedes. "I want you both with me," he told the German. "Can you open the back door for us, please, Schuldig?" 

Schuldig opened the back door of the sleek car so Brad could put Yohji down on the broad back seat. “I think it might just be the three of us,” he said. 

Farfarello was torn. He wanted to be with Brad, but if Nagi was riding with the DSS leader it meant leaving Prodigy alone with the members of the other two teams. 

"Want me to ride with you?" 

“I think you should if there’s room,” Nagi said with one of his rare smiles. “They need to realise that you’re really quite human when on the same side. Besides, I’d like your company.” 

Farfarello smirked, “Me human? That’s a joke right?” he quipped as he opened one of the SUV’s back doors. 

“I believe you might just be right, Schuldig.” He smiled at the German, “Which is just fine as far as I’m concerned.” He got Yohji into the car and slipped him a small flask of whiskey. 

“To keep the demons at bay, lover,” he whispered and kissed the blond. 

“Thanks,” Yohji replied. “I don’t suppose we could bring the beer could we? I don’t want to piss off that bastard if I can help it. I think he’s completely serious about putting a bullet into my head if he sees me drunk.” 

Brad’s expression went hard. “If he so much as tries I’ll kill him,” he snarled. “No one touches what’s mine, and he’s going to need to learn that if he wants to stay among the living.” 

He closed the car door and smiled at Schuldig. *Can you read Kei at all, Schu?* 

Schuldig went to shake his head before thinking better of it. The mad percussionist playing on the inside of his skull showed no signs of giving up yet. “Abyssinian’s shielding both him and the cold blond. I don’t think he trusts me.” There was the shadow of his old smirk. “But the woman really doesn’t like you.” 

*Oh? What a shame. Let me guess, she’s set her sights on Yohji and resents the fact I’m being so proprietary with him.* 

*Partly jealousy, yes. But mostly it’s something garbled to do with a dead brother and drugs. Ack, of course, she thinks that amongst our other sins we’ve dealt in drugs.* His eyes widened. *Yohji reminds her of her brother who was given a hot shot some years ago. She disposed of his killers.* 

*Odd. Yet she’s sexually attracted to Yohji. Now there’s some warped psychology for you.* He got into the car and buckled his seat belt. *Remind me to put an end to her conclusion jumping. I’d no sooner deal in drugs than I’d swallow a bottle of rat poison.* 

Ken started up his bike and turned to check on the people getting into the SUV. The small guy and his friend were still getting in, the blue haired man looking as if he weren’t quite in the same reality as everyone else. 

Remembering what it was like to have someone else messing with his thoughts he shuddered slightly and found something else to look at, namely Omi. He smiled. “Love you.” 

Omi returned the smile though his eyes were sad. “Love you too, Ken-kun,” he said softly. “I’d hoped we could stay here for a little while, you know?” 

“Yeah, me too,” Ken said ruefully as he gave a final look at the serene farm scene around them. 

Issei strapped Aki into the front passenger seat of the SUV, wishing he could do more to comfort him but he’d never been very good at comforting people. His father beating his mother to death and him leaving home and living on the streets had produced a shell too tough for him to reach through except… that this was Aki that was hurting so badly. 

Aki turned his eyes to the farm house. He’d been brought here when he’d joined Shadow Soul as the drummer, and DSS as their fledgling explosives expert. 

It had been Hisato who’d stayed with him those first few weeks. 

He put a hand on the window and watched the ghosts of the past, Hisato sitting on the porch, waving to them as they got ready to leave. 

_I’m sorry, Hisato._

~It’s not your fault, Aki. Don’t blame yourself.~ 

But it is my fault. 

~No it’s the bastards of RK who did this.~ 

Schuldig. 

~Only indirectly, kid. He wasn’t in control of his mind any more than you were so stop blaming him and yourself. Neither of you had a choice.~ 

But you’re dead. 

~Yeah, well it’s not so bad. And I’ve got company at least.~ 

Oh. Who? 

~Jas’ sister. She’s a nice kid.~ 

You aren’t mad. 

~Not at you, Aki. Never at you.~ 

“Issei, Hisato says he’s not mad at me for killing him. Isn’t that wonderful?” he asked the other man. 

Issei stopped dead half way into the car and frowned. Was Aki finally going crazy with the shock? But at least he’d decided that Hisato wasn’t mad at him. “Yeah,” he said and continued to ease himself behind the wheel, “that’s wonderful, Aki. You know Hisato would never blame you.” 

Aki turned a happy smile on Issei. "Thank you for being nice to me." 

Kei got into the SUV with Tsuki's help. "I'm sure you remember the way to the airport Issei, but if you don't know which charter terminal to go to, just follow Jas." 

He winced as he tried to get more comfortable. "And all of you be very careful around Crawford. If I'm not awake and he tries to do tell any of you what to do, wake me up, or failing that, ask Kate and if she's not around for some reason, ask Jas." 

Issei nodded. “Don’t worry. I’d rather listen to a snake than Crawford.” 

Tsuki nodded his agreement, his usual smile completely gone as he said “Try to rest as much as you can.” He didn’t add “because I don’t want to lose you” still not certain that his concern – or feelings – would be wanted or even appreciated. He made sure Kei was comfortable before drawing back ready to get on his bike. 

A hand caught his and held tight. "Stay with me," Kei murmured. "The others can handle security." He closed his eyes, "You've got your laptop, right? If not, go get it." 

“Give me two minutes,” Tsuki said and sprinted back to the farmhouse. He was back in almost no time with not only his laptop but Omi’s as well. A backup was never a bad thing even though his was the superior model. He shoved them in the trunk and slipped in next to Kei. “Now will you rest for a while?” 

Kei nodded and closed his eyes. He was asleep almost instantly. 

Nagi eased into the SUV, careful not to jolt the vehicle. He was quiet and thoughtful. It was fairly obvious Brad would make a play for leadership sooner or later but he wasn’t sure that it would work. Issei had made his feelings perfectly clear and he imagined the rest of Kei’s team would feel the same. Abyssinian appeared to have a lot of respect for the man too, taking his orders without question which was surprising in itself. He felt certain that Bombay and Siberian would follow his lead. 

He sighed slightly. He trusted Crawford to get them out of most tricky situations but the DSS leader seemed just as competent. 

Jas started up his bike, made certain that Aya was firmly seated behind him, then he rolled slowly forward. Since they were taking point he didn't really need to wait for the others to be in the cars and ready to go, but he wanted to make sure Kei didn't have any other orders before they departed. 

"We're going to be moving fast, so keep your eyes out for cops, Abyssinian," he told the man behind him. "I usually don't miss them, but an extra set of eyes is always good." 

Aya placed his hands on his thighs and got comfortable. “No problem,” he said. “You concentrate on driving and I’ll play lookout.” 

“As soon as we have time you’re learning how to ride your own damn bike,” Jas snarled into the comm and sent the cycle down the road, kicking up a shower of gravel with the speed of his acceleration. 

Aya’s first instinct was to grab hold of Jas but he deliberately kept his hands on his thighs. It was bad enough being chest to back with the blond without hugging him. And the warmth from that leather-clad back was a constant reminder of his strong physical attraction to the other man. 

_It can’t be anything other than that._

But if that was the case why had he been able to ignore Yohji’s attractions for three years while Silence he could do anything but ignore? 

_It’s just lust. Kei was right, if we fucked each other it would get it out of my system and we could ignore each other._

Satisfied that was the answer he settled for the ride to the airport keeping a watchful eye open for cops and other undesirables. 

The ride to the airport was uneventful for which Jas was thankful since he really wasn’t in the best shape to face down more of RK’s goons and he didn’t think anyone else--including the infamous Schwarz-- was in any shape to do it either. 

Jas brought the bike to a stop in a fairly quiet area of the Tokyo International Airport’s huge parking garage and turned it off. 

The entire trip he’d suffered the excruciating ache of a cock that wouldn’t stop getting hard every time he became aware of the hands touching him. 

He dismounted from the bike and stood there, aching, unable to do anything about it. He pulled his helmet off and dropped it by the motorcycle. If Kei was doing what he suspected then he’d have no further need of it and wouldn’t see it or the bike ever again. 

They were a good fifteen minutes ahead of the others but that wasn’t enough time to do what he needed. 

And there was still the matter of his sister. 

_*I can go away and not look you know,*_ she told him. 

_*It’s not enough time.*_

Aya climbed off the bike and removed his own helmet. Although still in one piece he was bone weary and couldn’t see much likelihood of respite any time soon. Placing the helmet on the back seat of the bike, he thought of another kind of respite. His near miss with Yohji had done nothing to help that particular problem and he actually wondered if he had enough time to look for a toilet stall to at least scratch the itch that was bothering him so much. 

What was it about the cold-eyed blond that had him achingly hard whenever they came into contact? No other man had ever affected him this badly. 

He stretched tired muscles and waited for the rest of them to arrive, hoping they wouldn’t take too long or he was likely to do something stupid like kiss Silence and that was equally likely to get him killed. 

The blond still had his back turned when he said, “Kei was right. We should just get this over with.” 

Aya blinked. Was he hearing things? He glanced round at the vast open garage and frowned. Despite his need, here and now was out of the question. 

“Possibly, but quickies are never satisfying.” He took a deep, shuddering breath, trying to quench the fire in his blood. 

The blond turned around and stalked toward him. “I wouldn’t know, but I sure as hell plan to find out.” 

He grabbed Aya and crushed their lips together, the kiss searing and hungry. 

Aya responded for a second or two before coming to his senses and pushing the other man away. He was breathing hard and the flames had just got even hotter but he was not going to either fuck or be fucked in a parking lot no matter how empty it seemed. 

“Back off,” he growled, his hand automatically going for the hilt of the katana hidden in the skirts of his coat. 

Jas backed off, visibly shaking, his tight leather pants doing nothing to hide the evidence of his desire. 

Frustrated Jas spun around and slammed his fist into the nearest object, which just happened to be a steel rail. It partially caved in with a dull ringing sound. 

Aya closed his eyes, taking deep breaths as he tried to get his own frustration under control. When he felt he’d got it to manageable levels he opened his eyes again. The sound of approaching vehicles heralded the arrival of the others, although he was still watchful and wary in case it was uninvited guests instead. 

“Tell Kei I’ll be at the usual terminal.” Jas stalked away, heading for the elevator. He couldn’t take being so close to the other man anymore. If he stayed he’d either kill him, or do something even more stupid, like trying to kiss him again. 

And _that_ wasn’t going to happen ever again. He’d learned his lesson and it didn’t take a katana in his guts to get the point across. 

Aya sighed as he watched the other man go. He’d so wanted to return that kiss with interest but had no desire to be caught with his pants down in such a public place. Now it looked like the blond had taken it personally. 

He turned his attention to the little convoy of vehicles that was pulling up near the bike. The sight of Yohji travelling with Crawford and Schuldig made him clench his fists. That particular betrayal had been unexpected and had hurt him enough to push his so-called team mate away for all time. 

The cars came to a stop in the spaces near Jas’ bike. 

Ken parked his own motorcycle in the space nearest Aya, pulled his helmet off and looked at Aya. “Where’s the guy you rode here with?” 

“On his way to the terminal,” Aya said with a shrug before heading towards the SUV to pass on his message. 

Kei had opened his eyes when they’d reached the airport, but to his disgust he was finding it almost impossible to keep them open. 

“Tsuki?’ and he hardly recognized his own voice, it sounded so... weak. 

And weakness wasn’t something he could afford to yield to right now. 

“I’m here.” Tsuki gave his hand a gentle squeeze before glancing up at Aya. “Can you help me get him to the plane?” 

Aya nodded and told Kei what Jas had said before storming off. 

Nagi cleared his throat quietly. “I can get him to the plane without him having to walk and jolt that wound,” he said. He gazed thoughtfully at Aya. “If you can keep us shielded, Schuldig can make sure nobody even sees us.” 

Brad joined them, Yohji in his arms, the blond looking very annoyed. “Don’t count on Schuldig doing very much. He is suffering from a severe migraine and he can barely hold a vocal conversation much less utilize his telepathic abilities.” 

“I can walk if Ken helps me,” Yohji stated. “And then Brad can carry Kei.” 

“No,” Kei murmured as he gritted his teeth and tried to get out of the SUV. 

“If you’ll let Naoe help you, I can keep anyone from seeing us,” Aya said without even looking at Crawford or Yohji. Now his own little betrayal was out in the open. He knew exactly what he was and why his shields were so strong; had known from the beginning but had seen no reason for Kritiker to find out which had meant keeping it from his team mates. 

Tsuki turned his black gaze on Kei. “Let them help you, Kei. You can rest on the plane.” 

But Issei watched as the youngest of the ex-Weiss turned startled and accusing eyes on Abyssinian. “Aya-kun, how could you keep that secret?” 

Yohji regarded Aya from the cradle of Brad’s arms. He wanted to be put down, but he knew it was entirely pointless to argue with the American. He’d have more chance of winning an argument with Aya than he’d ever have with Crawford. 

“I think there’s a double standard at work here,” Yohji muttered and turned his gaze away from Aya. 

To Yohji’s surprise Brad kissed his temple and whispered, “Take it easy and let someone else do the work for now. We’ll need you later, I’m sure.” 

Kei looked between the group of men around him and just nodded. 

Aki got out of the SUV and smiled at Issei. “I bet I know where we’re going and how we’re getting there,” he stated. 

Kei shot him a look and Aki’s smile died. “Well I’m not going to say it, Kei.” He retreated away from the crowd around Darkness, moving to stand closer to Issei. “I think I got him mad at me.” 

Issei couldn’t help himself. He put a protective arm round Aki’s shoulders. He was still watchful, especially after the little bombshell from Abyssinian who had turned to stare at Bombay. 

“What would have been the point of telling you? I didn’t want Kritiker to know and try to use it for their own ends. And judging by the way things turned out I was right not to.” 

Nagi ignored the little drama and used his telekinesis to literally float Kei out of the SUV. Tsuki grabbed the laptops and followed. 

“Now ask yourself why I made my offer,” Brad said to Aya before he turned and carried Yohji toward the elevator. 

Ken was staring hard at Aya, his expression showing anger rather than the hurt Omi felt. He dropped his helmet on top of his bike and followed Brad without saying anything. 

“Get me to the plane,” Kei instructed Nagi. 

Nagi obediently floated the wounded man to the elevator part of his mind wondering what Hidaka would say when he found out the truth about himself. 

Aya concentrated on keeping the odd sight invisible and shielding the little group. He had no interest in Ken’s anger or Omi’s apparent hurt. They’d both get over it. As for Kudoh, pots and kettles came to mind there. He’d never used his talent until now apart from the shields and they were for his own protection more than anything else. A cacophony of mental voices would drive him mad if he didn’t keep them up. The whole group of them finally filed into the elevator, Brad putting Yohji on his feet for the brief ride down. 

Yohji glanced at Aya, closed his eyes and struggled to focus the way Schuldig had been trying to teach him. *How long have you known what you are?* 

*All my life and you don’t need to shout. What about you?* 

*Sorry, I don’t mean to shout, but I’m not a strong telepath and it’s hard for me to get outside my head most of the time. Schuldig says I over compensate.* Yohji felt Brad’s arms slip around him and leaned back into the comforting embrace, not even aware that some of his own emotions were leaking out. 

Being with Schwarz, especially with Crawford gave him a sense of safety, and belonging somewhere. Two things that being with Weiss had never given him. 

*I didn’t know until after we had that run in with Masafumi the monster. Something... changed. I think we were exposed to some sort of DNA altering substance, at least that’s Brad’s theory about how this happened to me. 

*It’s funny really. Brad told me once that you had secrets and I just thought they had to do with normal things, like maybe you had a lover or something like that. Stupid wasn’t it?* 

*No, not stupid. And we all had secrets didn’t we, Kudoh? Mine never drove me to betray my own team and someone I pretended to want.* Strange how hurt he felt about the might-have-been. 

*Betrayed? Not hardly. But if it weren’t for Schwarz I’d be dead by now. And it was wanting you that made it easy for me to accept what Brad offered. I knew I couldn’t have you.* 

*My secret was kept from everyone, my parents, my sister, because I was afraid of what I was when young and only too aware of how Kritiker would use me when older. It was much the same as my sexuality, nobody else’s damned business. Your secret lost you your team but I don’t think you care about that.* 

*Aya what choice did I really have? Like you said going to Kritiker and letting them know sure as fuck wasn’t an option, and I needed to know how to control my newly found ability. Don’t you understand? I might have killed one of you by accident if I hadn’t gone to Schwarz for help. Or rather, if Brad hadn’t come to me and offered it.* 

Yohji felt the American’s arms around him tighten, the gesture meant to reassure while asserting his ownership. He leaned into the embrace, accepting it because he’d already come to terms with Brad’s dominant nature. 

Aya pushed Yohji out of his mind while he thought about his words. Had the blond really ever betrayed anyone in Weiss? He reached out a very narrow tendril of thought to Yohji while still keeping them all shielded from both enemies and curious eyes. 

*You need to explain that to Ken and Omi. Make them realise that you never betrayed them. Might not be easy right now as they consider me just as guilty of that crime as you.* 

He sent his regret over the tight link and, for what it was worth, an offer of friendship. Of all of them, Yohji was the one he tended to share with what little he ever shared. 

*I never betrayed you either, but I’m sure that doesn’t matter,* Yohji replied, his bitter heartache over losing the red-haired man seeping through the telepathic connection. 

Brad knew that Yohji and Aya were talking, but he couldn’t pick up more than that, not being a telepath himself. *Schuldig, are you feeling any better?* he asked as he reached out and drew the German closer to him and Yohji. 

There was tension in Schuldig’s expression, pain clear to see in the dulled blue gaze. 

*Not really. Whatever that bastard did to me it was fundamental. I can’t even hear what Yohji and Fujimiya are saying to each other. You might not like this, Brad, but Aya is stronger than I am, even when I don’t have migraine.* 

*Schuldig listen to me a moment please. Berger tampered with your mind and you are letting him get the better of you. I know you’re hurting right now, but please trust me in this: you haven’t lost your power.* He leaned a little closer to Schuldig and brushed his lips over the German’s, *You’ll be just fine once the pain is gone.* 

The German frowned to himself. Why had Fujimiya never used his power to fight Schwarz? He could easily have killed any of them with just a thought. Then he realised, he’d never been trained to use his power, let alone kill with it. 

*RK missed a lot of talent. Not just him but some of the DSS people too.* 

*Makes you wonder doesn’t it?* Brad asked as he urged Schuldig to move closer to he and Yohji. Both of the men were emotionally fragile right now but Brad was confident he could pull both of them through because he’d always managed it in the past. 

*I know I haven’t lost my power, Brad, all I’m saying is Fujimiya is stronger than I am. He’s shielding all of us, talking to Yohji while keeping everyone else out and all this without any training at all. He’s going to be a very nasty surprise for RK, almost as nasty as Nagi.* 

*And Kudoh’s not a nasty surprise?* Brad asked rhetorically as he gently caressed Schuldig’s face with one hand and helped Yohji stay on his feet with the other arm. 

Ken was making a concerted effort not to see the way Yohji was leaning into the embrace of the Schwarz leader. It was just so... wrong. 

Aya holding Yohji he could have handled. But Crawford treating the blond like a lover was too much. 

And then there was Aya’s confession. It was more than too much, and Ken just couldn’t deal with it. 

In a subconscious display of his insecurities, Ken wrapped an arm around Omi and held him close. 

Omi leaned into the embrace. He had been thinking hard since Aya had dropped his little bombshell and had come to the conclusion that it explained a lot. How else had he found Schuldig’s hiding place in the park when Ouka was killed so quickly? How else could his reflexes be fast enough to hold off both Crawford and Farfarello and then take on SD when the rest of them had been pinned down? 

He’d never used his power against any of them, so it shouldn’t make any difference. He was untainted by either RK training or the underlying sadism of Schwarz and yet Omi felt a deep distrust of anyone with such powers. 

_But this is Aya-kun…_

A freak… 

No! A friend. He stood up for you even when he knew who you were. 

Aya happened to glance over at them and he smiled. The violet eyes appeared surprised for a second before Aya nodded in response. 

Yohji turned in Brad’s embrace and actually lay his head on the taller man’s shoulder. 

“Shhh...” Brad whispered. “You’ll be all right. We’re here, Yohji.” 

Farfarello stepped in closer to the older members of his team and actually put a hand on Yohji’s shoulder. “We won’t let anyone hurt you,” he stated not quite sure what was wrong with the former Weiss, but trying to make him feel better because that’s what Brad had asked them to do: try and help the emotionally damaged man. 

Issei kept his arm round Aki and watched the almost silent drama playing out in front of him. Kei needed to heal as fast as he could before the Schwarz pre-cog got the mistaken idea he was in charge. 

It was soothing to see him take such good care of others but he would listen to Jas or Kate before he listened to him. He glanced over to where Kate stood, expression shuttered, body stiff with tension and drew his own conclusions. They needed to sort themselves out if they were ever going to stand a chance against RK. 

Kei was very aware of the tensions running through the mixed teams and he wasn’t looking forward to all the emotional drama that was going to unfold before the three groups sorted themselves out. He could already tell it was going to be messy and very painful to a few people. Unfortunately it would involve some people he cared about a great deal... Like Jas, and if he was reading the signals right, Kate too. 

Not for the first time he considered taking things into his own hands and putting a single bullet where it would do the most good, but he thought at this point that it would only make things worse if he killed Kudoh. 

A glance at the Schwarz trio clustered around the blond and he was very sure it would only lead to an instant explosion of more trouble than any of them really wanted or needed. 

He noticed that the dark eyes of the Schwarz leader were on him and he raised an eyebrow. 

“Don’t even consider it,” Brad told Kei as he tightened his hold on Yohji to show the other team leader exactly what he meant. 

Luckily the elevator doors opened on the terminal at that point and they were all too busy getting to the plane without the fact that one of them was floating in midair coming to anyone’s attention to continue the in-fighting. The plane would be another matter, Aya realised with a sinking heart. And then Jas would be added to the mix making it even more volatile. 

Brad scooped Yohji up and stepped out of the elevator, taking the lead. 

Jas met them at the small concourse for the private terminal. “The jet’s fuelled up and waiting. Flight plan has been filed, and the engines are warming up,” he told Kei. His gaze didn’t even fall on Aya, Silence making every effort to ignore the other man’s existence. 

“You flying the plane?” Kei asked. 

“If you want me too,” Jas replied. 

“No. Tell our pilot to stay. He and his crew can fly us there.” 

“I’ll tell him once we’re aboard.” 

“Let’s go,” Kei ordered and gestured toward the loading gate at the end of the terminal. 

There were no arguments, all of them happy to leave Japan and its recent memories behind for a while. It was a step into the unknown for most of them but that didn’t matter. They were mentally, physically and emotionally exhausted and the thought of the chance to rest that the plane would give them was welcoming. 

Nagi floated Kei in first and let him come gently to rest on a bank of seats. Kate stood aside to let Crawford help Yohji onto the plane, her gaze for both men cold. 

Yohji felt the ice in her emerald stare and spared her a wounded glance. He wanted, and at the same time knew what terrible price would be paid if he chose her rather than Brad. 

His love with women always turned out bad. Asuka. Neu. He couldn’t handle anymore pain. 

But her kisses had been so sweet. 

Brad put Yohji into a seat and buckled him in safely as if the blond were a child that needed looking after. “Sit with him Schuldig. I’m going to see if they’ve got anything on this plane to ease your headache.” 

Ken stopped to stare at the interior of the jet. “Whose plane is this anyway?” he asked as he realized it wasn’t a commercial charter but a privately owned jet. 

“Mine,” Kei replied. 

Omi’s eyes became impossibly large as he gazed around at the luxurious interior. Finally realising he was blocking those coming behind him he caught up with Ken and took the seat beside his. 

Kate moved through the plane and sat as far away from Yohji and Schuldig as it was possible to get and still be on the same aircraft. 

Jas shot a look at the former goalie, “Well I could tell you, but then I might just be ordered to put a bullet in your head. Do you want to take the risk?” 

Ken glared at him and muttered. “Great, another twenty-four seven asshole.” 

“Well I’m sure you’re an expert on that subject,” Jas shot back as he stalked away heading toward the front of the plane. 

“Children if you can’t play together nicely you won’t be allowed to play at all, so shut up both of you,” Kei told them in a voice that cracked sharp as a whip. 

Brad turned to smile at him. “Duct tape and straight jackets work wonders.” 

“So do tranquilizers,” Yohji added. 

Kate turned in her seat to shoot the blond a glare that would put Aya’s to shame. “Haven’t you got enough poison running through your veins already?” she asked before turning away to gaze out of the window. 

If she’d shot Yohji his expression couldn’t have looked more pained. 

Brad turned a withering stare on the woman known in DSS as Shadow. “I believe he was referring to your overly tense team mate and Ken, not himself,” he explained coldly before he scooped Yohji up and carried him as far away from the jealous bitch as he could. 

*I wish you were in better shape, Schuldig. She deserves a migraine for what she just did to Yohji.* 

*She’s hurting, Brad, so she’s lashing out. Yohji’s already done it to her by climbing all over you like a rash. And quite frankly I don’t want to see him as a permanent part of our relationship.* 

Crawford’s eyes narrowed, a dangerous sparkle lighting his eyes. *Really? You don’t want him to be part of our relationship? Well I certainly don’t want to make you unhappy now do I?* 

Yohji couldn’t hear the words, but he could feel how tense the pair of Schwarz were getting. Without saying anything he got up and hobbled away from them, finding a seat away from everyone else. 

Aya was the last to board, having made sure that they were all safely in one place. He shut the door behind him, feeling the airtight seals lock into place. Even then he didn’t relax his shields. Only when they were a few miles up in the air would he do that. 

“Everyone park your asses and put on the fucking seatbelts,” Jas snarled through the cabin speakers. 

Issei and Tsuki exchanged somewhat amused glances but hurried to obey. 

“Jas is mad again,” Aki sighed. “He’s going to pop a vein one of these days.” 

Aya settled himself in a seat by himself and fastened his belt. He remained alert as the plane taxied away from the gate and headed for the runway. Ten minutes later he finally retracted his shields to their usual strength and keeping the voices at bay. He shut his eyes, finally able to sleep. 

Kei had let the dark of unconsciousness claim him almost as soon as they were airborne. With Jas flying the plane-- at least for now-- he knew they would be reasonably safe. 

So long as the various personalities didn’t start trying to murder one another during the flight.


	10. Chapter 10

There was a change in air pressure and the popping in his ears woke Aya up. He sat up and glanced around. Outside the sky was lightening with the first rosy fingers of dawn. Inside everything was quiet, with everyone either asleep or merely silent.

The plane touched down on a runway that didn’t appear to belong to any major airport and that was fringed by palm trees. Wherever this was, they’d arrived.

Crawford opened his eyes, pushed his glasses up and looked out of the window. A quick glance at his watch said they’d been in the air for hours, and he felt rested for the first time in a long while.

*Schuldig, wake up and look outside.*

Farfarello stretched and glanced around, noticing the trees. “Palms? Where are we, Tahiti?”

Cerulean eyes flickered open and Schuldig stretched and sat up. He glanced out of the window then stared. *Nice. Very nice.* His mental voice sounded calmer, more like himself which probably had a lot to do with the mad percussionist finally giving up and leaving the inside of his skull alone.

The plane came to a halt without any noticeable taxiing and a set of steps was being rushed to the door.

*Looks like the locals know this plane very well.*

Crawford nodded, “I’d say so. Of course it only stands to reason that they would. I believe DSS owns this island.”

“We’re home,” Jas announced over the cabin speakers. “Everybody out.”

Kei stirred slightly, winced and opened his eyes. “That was fast, he must have had a tail wind or he pushed the plane again,” he commented as he pulled himself to his feet, swayed and had to grab the back of a chair while everything whirled in his vision.

“Kate, could you please notify the doctor that we’ll need his services immediately. Use the phone in the plane. Your cell won’t work here, we’ll have to pick up our local ones from the house.”

Kate unbuckled her seatbelt and went straight to the plane’s phone. Speaking in the same language that Jas had used back at the farm she made her needs known. 

Five minutes later there was a lot of activity outside as an ambulance drew up and two Polynesians with a stretcher jumped out. 

Kate gave Kei an apologetic look. “You know what he’s like. Besides you can’t walk down the stairs like that. Neither can Kudoh but I’m sure Crawford will be only too happy to carry him.”  
“I’ll walk,” Yohji said as the people with the stretcher started to gather up the DSS leader, treating him as if he were the most precious person in all of creation.

They quickly had Kei off the plane, Jas following them down the stairs. He paused, “Kate’s in charge. Listen to what she tells you, because you sure as hell aren’t in Japan and the rules here aren’t the same.”

He met Crawford’s gaze, “Try even one of the things you’ve been considering and you’ll find out how fast you can die,” he warned the American precognitive.

Brad raised one eyebrow. “I assure you I’ve no intention of...”

“I mean it,” Jas snapped, cutting the man off. “Make a bid for control here and you’ll be on the receiving end of a bullet you can’t dodge.”

Farfarello stepped between Silence and his leader, “Don’t threaten him. You might not like what happens if you piss me off.”

Jas’ eyes narrowed, “Of everyone on this plane, you’re the one I’m least worried about, Berserker. I know how to kill you, and I’m skilled enough to do it, keep that in mind.”

Yohji sighed. “Can we just stop the pissing match? I’m really getting sick of your shit. While I’m sure you’ve got protecting your own leader in mind, all you’re doing is pissing Schwarz off. And frankly if you made a try for any of them Nagi would have you flattened like a bug long before you managed to act out any of that bravado.”

Ken looked at Kate, “After living with Silence I guess Yohji doesn’t seem so bad,” he commented 

Kate gave him a cool stare. “You don’t know him, Ken, until you get to know him keep your comments to yourself.” She nodded to Jas, letting him know she would be able to control them.

Jas smiled coldly at Yohji, "Well look at you, awake and sober, who would have thought it possible?" He nodded to Kate and vanished down the steps.

"Whatever," the brunet muttered. "I think I'm just going to keep my mouth shut from now on."

"Good idea," Yohji replied to Ken, ignoring Jas. "It might make it easier to keep your foot out of it."

Ken glared at him but actually didn't say anything for once.

"If you follow me I'll take you to the house and show you your rooms. Feel free to wander on the island. You can't get off it and the people here are loyal to  
Kei and only Kei."

Crawford glanced at Schuldig. "A tropical paradise of sand and sun. Do you think you can stand it?"

*I wonder how well shielded their minds are. Do you think you can touch any of them and find out?* he silently questioned the telepath. *We need at least  
one we can depend on to help us without question.*

“I think I can stand it,” Schuldig said aloud. To Brad he sent, *I thought we were working with these people until we’re safe from RK. You sound as if you want to double-cross them.* 

*Yes, he does, doesn’t he?* Aya’s deep mental voice asked. Schuldig’s eyes widened. *Ack, I’d forgotten you.*

Aya was staring at Brad. *If anyone on this island tries to turn against DSS I’ll kill you myself. This isn’t Essett and it does us no good to be at each other’s throats. Try to remember that.*

*It's not a matter of double-crossing anyone, Schuldig. It's a matter of making sure we survive.* Crawford met the German's blue gaze, *Do you honestly think Kei gives a damn about any of us? Think about it. Have we been asked to join his team or did he just bring us along for the ride rather than let us fall into RK's hands to be used against him?*

He looked at Aya. *It's not me you have to worry about, Fujimiya; it's your new leader.

*I'm sure even you must have noticed how ready he is to be rid of Kudoh. He sees only a liability and that's far from the truth, though you Weiss don't seem able to look past your own team mates surface flaws any more than Darkness does.*

He adjusted his glasses and glanced at Yohji who was hobbling down the steps under his own power. *He's really much stronger than any of you give him credit for. If he weren't he'd never have survived this long.

*But it's too late for you to kiss and make up now. He's mine and he's going to stay mine,* and at that comment he made very sure that Schuldig understood his meaning. *I don't give up what's mine. Not ever.*

Aya shook his head, not prepared to argue the toss with Crawford. He could have said that if Yohji was so strong he’d soon realise that he didn’t actually need to lean on him, Crawford or anyone else and that he belonged to nobody but himself. Instead he said, “Once RK always RK, huh Crawford? You don’t really ‘own’ anyone at all. Perhaps not even yourself.”

With that he turned and followed Issei and Aki down the steps, wanting to be away from the American before he did something he’d regret.

Schuldig shrugged but there was a thoughtful look in his eyes and his shields were up against everyone, including Crawford. Yes, he enjoyed their games with Kudoh but there was a possessive side to him that didn’t want to share Crawford with the blond ex-Weiss.

Aloud he said, “He’s not Weiss anymore, Brad. He’s DSS.”

Omi tugged on Ken’s hand, wanting to be away from Schwarz and the painful memories that Schuldig especially always induced. 

The German’s last comment, however, made him turn impossibly innocent blue eyes on him and say, “As are the rest of us, including Yohji-kun. We gave them our word so somehow I don’t think they’d appreciate any of us trying to leave, do you?”

Crawford regarded the Takatori boy silently for a moment. "No, that's where you're mistaken. Kudoh is part of Schwarz, and we've no plans to be part of DSS."

Ken pulled on Omi, "Come on, let's get out of here."

But Omi stood his ground, small and trembling with fury. “You double-cross everyone you come into contact with Crawford, just like my damned family. Aya-kun was right you’re RK or Essett through and through.”

“If he is someone will put a bullet in him that he doesn’t see coming,” Kate said quietly from the doorway. “Now if you boys have finished all the childishness shall we go? The crew want to refuel and get away while the man you’re arguing about is standing on a broken ankle!”

Nagi had been standing like a deer caught in headlights watching Crawford with wide eyes. When Kate spoke he frowned slightly and went down the steps.

"Guilty before a trial," Crawford shook his head and looked at Nagi. "E tu Nagi?" he murmured in Latin and headed for the stairs.

Yohji wasn't waiting, he was limping across the airfield under his own power his back turned to them all.

Aki turned to Issei, "I wonder where he's going."

"Off to get drunk," Ken stated, his eyes narrowed as he watched the blond hobbling away.

“Then he’s shit out of luck,” Issei said. “There’s no bar on the island. The only booze available is at the main house and I can’t see Jas letting him anywhere near it.”

“He’s going to the doctor just as soon as he’s finished with Kei,” Kate said. “He needs to get a cast put on that before he does permanent damage.” She glanced at Tsuki who was retrieving his and Omi’s laptops from the overhead storage. “We need to find you a room too, don’t we?”

Tsuki nodded. “Yep, first visit,” he agreed. Get everyone else settled first though. I’ll take whatever’s left.” He frowned slightly. “Is there an internet port?”  
Farfarello looked around at what they could see of the island which wasn't much. Just the air strip, the palm trees and a couple of buildings. "I wonder how big this island is," he mused out loud.

"It's fairly small as islands go," Brad replied as he watched Yohji vanish between two buildings and some of the palm trees. "Someone should probably go after him."

"Let him find out there's no bar. He'll come back on his own soon enough," Ken said.

Brad shook his head. "Someone should go after him, but it can't be me." He glanced at Kate, "He'll only get hurt if I go after him, but he'll be fine if someone else goes," he suggested.

"Well count me out," Ken grumbled.

A limo was approaching along the runway and he nudged Omi, "Think that's for them?" the former soccer player asked meaning the members of DSS.

“I think it’s probably for all of us Ken-kun,” Omi said as he watched the luxury car approach. 

Meanwhile Kate was frowning after Yohji. The blond was a rare handful. “Issei, you’ve been here often enough, do you think you and Aki could get everyone settled while I get stubborn over there to the doctor?”

“I don’t see why not,” Issei said. 

“Thanks.” She turned to the others. “Okay, the car will take you to the house. There is plenty of room for us to spread out enough not to try killing each other. There’s a swimming pool, gym, sauna, Jacuzzi, games systems, TV, and, yes Tsuki, there are both computers and ports for the laptops. The house has a full complement of staff and its own chef so none of you has to cook.”

“Oops,” Tsuki said, “sorry Omi, I nearly forgot. Here’s your laptop, man.”

Kate left them to it and headed after Yohji.

The blond was still hobbling along, heading toward a line of houses down the single road that led from the airport.

It didn’t take Kate long to catch up with him. “Where exactly do you think you’re going, Kudoh?” she demanded.

"Away from everyone, that's where," Yohji replied as he limped a few more steps away from the air field.

“That ankle needs to be set and a cast put on it. The doc should have finished with Kei by now and that’s somewhere you can go without half a dozen people tagging along.”

"Point me in the right direction and I'll go," Yohji told her as he came to a stop.

“Lean on me and I’ll take you there,” Kate said. “I’ll leave you alone once I get you there.”

Yohji turned jade eyes on her, "That's okay. I don't want to get anyone else pissed off at me for taking assistance from anyone. If it's all the same to you from now on I go under my own power, or I don't go."

She sighed again. “Men and their fucking egos,” she muttered. “Come on then, Mr Stubborn.”

She led the way moving at right angles to the way he’d been going until a small, white hospital came into view. “There. Get the doc to take a look at that ankle and set it for you. Then you can do what the fuck you like.” She turned away, wondering why the hell she’d allowed herself to get so close. It had been a bad idea and now she would have to pay the price.

Yohji frowned. "This isn't a matter of ego; it's a matter of me being tired of catching shit from all directions. Tell me you weren't upset when you saw me in Crawford's arms and say it without lying," he retorted harshly.

“I can’t,” she said bluntly, “but it was a damn fool reaction and one I’ll get over soon enough. I don’t like him but he seems concerned about your welfare and, no, I’m not being snide here. He is very possessive. If he makes you happier and he’s good for you then go for it.”

"He kept me from getting addicted to heroin, but I can't say he makes me happy. He's good at making me feel wanted, which no one else has done lately." He sighed, "Except you earlier today.

"Besides Schuldig is very jealous, I can't be Crawford's lover without stepping on the German's toes, and that's not something I'm prepared to deal with."

She gazed at him then, a self-mocking smile on her face. "I've always believed we should grab happiness where we can. So I'm not going to advise you any  
differently. It's like Kei said - we're all killers here. It's not like any of us can sit in moral judgment on any of the others."

Her eyes hardened. "But don't let your Schwarz friend betray us or I'll kill the bastard myself."

"He won't betray you, he's worried that Kei will do something that brings both teams into conflict." He sighed, "Like ordering me killed for being so fucking useless.

"Weird as it is, Brad does care about me. I know it's hard to believe, but the fact is he does. And don't tell either of them I told you this, but Brad's saved Aya's life twice now without our resident ice bitch ever even knowing it."

Kate listened without commenting until Yohji had finished speaking. Then she frowned. “Both Tsuki and I would argue that you’re not useless having seen you with that RK agent,” she said finally and then smiled slightly, “and I think Kei will listen to Tsuki even if he doesn’t listen to me.”

"Let's face it, Kate, my former team doesn't think I'm worth having around." He shoved aside the bitter hurt of that and added, "Shit, I don't even know why in  
hell Brad bothered to save me other than he's got a use in mind for me other than my skill in bed."

“You’re a talent, Yohji, and we can’t afford to go up against RK without talents. That’s why all of Schwarz are here and not dead and why you and Aya and Jas are so important. I’m damned sure Kei won’t kill you unless you force the issue.

“As for Crawford, as long as he can work with us and not try to take over, he’s welcome here.”

"Well I can't guarantee he won't try to run the show, and the thing is, except for the problems with them being mentally controlled, I've never seen Brad make  
any mistakes. He really does see the future."

The blond frowned, "Which makes me wonder how in hell those RK agents got into their minds in the first place. He should have seen that coming..." the blond's frown turned into a harder almost angry expression. "That son of a bitch. He let it  
happen... he fucking let them be controlled."

He looked up at Kate. "Think about it. There's no way he wouldn't have seen that sort of an attack coming. And what's the end result here? Most of Terror is dead and Brad's gotten exactly what he wanted: allies to help Schwarz survive the battle with  
RK."

Kate drew Yohji away from all buildings and people. “Don’t ever let Kei or Jas hear you say that,” she warned, “or both Crawford and Schuldig are dead meat. They’re only alive now because they were controlled. If it was deliberate… “ She shuddered.

"Well someone would wind up dead anyway. I'm not sure it would be Brad or Schuldig," he admitted softly. "I know things about them that even RK probably doesn't know and let me tell you, they’re a lot more dangerous than Kritiker ever suspected."

"Imagine if they'd made Omi kill Ken while you could do nothing but watch instead of making Aki kill Hisato while Issei was helpless to stop it. How would you feel then if you knew Crawford had allowed himself to be controlled?"

"I'd have to try to kill them, and that would--" Yohji shook his head, "Well it would be one of the hardest things I've ever had to do. Not that I could. They'd kill me so fast I wouldn't even know what hit me." 

She stared at Yohji. "If you want to keep your lovers alive, don't breathe another word of this."

"I don't know that I'm right, Kate. But it's hard for me to accept that Crawford didn't see what was coming. He's told me he's not infallible, but, I just can't believe it for some reason.

"And yeah, I probably shouldn't have even told you, but I just thought of it myself and I have a bad habit of blurting things out when I'm tired or drunk."

He gritted his teeth almost falling as his uninjured leg cramped from the strain he'd been putting on it most of the day.

Kate caught him as he stumbled and turned them both around. “Hospital. Now,” she said in a tone that told him she was not going to accept any arguments. “You’ve done that ankle enough damage for one day. If you behave, I’ll bring you a couple of beers from the house.”

"Yes mommy," he replied with a slight smile. "Don't be offended, but you remind me of Omi-- back before he started to think I was pretty much a lost cause."

He thought about the offered bribe. "It's probably better if I don't drink anymore. It's causing too much trouble and well," he shrugged, "it won't kill me. Make me wish I was dead, yes, but kill me, no."

She was silent as she supported him towards the crisp, white building but before they reached it she stopped. "I won't say anything about what you said but I hope to God you're wrong. If your not, we've let a viper into our midst and that doesn't bear even thinking about."

"I want to be wrong, I really do," he admitted softly.

But there was a nagging suspicion that told him he'd hit the mark dead on: Brad was a veteran of RK and Yohji didn't think anyone could survive that warped sort of environment without gaining a few mental kinks.

* * * * * * *

Aya supposed he’d better follow Aki and Issei to the car. He had his own suspicions about Crawford and had not blamed Jas for his warning. It was a pity that Nagi and Farfarello were so attached to the man as he felt he could work with them.

Once the whole party were settled in the Limo it glided forward and turned, leaving the airstrip behind. A short drive brought them to a large, low house which screamed money.

He frowned slightly, not used to such luxury or lazing about with nothing to do. Then he remembered Kate mentioning a gym and relaxed. He could practice his katas at least.

Aki got out of the car and headed for the house. "I'll unlock the door since none of you know the combination."

He pressed a series of numbers on the keypad by the door and then went in, "We wish we would spend more time here, but Kei doesn't like to come here. He hates how people treat him here, like he's royalty or something, but I think it's fun."

Aya could see both the pros and cons of that situation. He could imagine himself becoming very tired of being treated like royalty but, at the same time, it would help to make one feel safe. Unless Crawford tried his tricks… and he couldn’t shield the whole damned island.

Crawford got out of the car and surveyed the house. He smiled. "Acceptable," he remarked then looked at Aya. "I promise I'm not going to attempt a coup," he told the swordsman as he stepped aside to let Schuldig get out.

Aya shrugged not prepared to let the American see how relieved he was by his words – if they could be believed. “As long as you keep your promise,” he said and moved away, following Aki into the house.

The little drummer seemed to be getting over his shock and grief and Issei’s eyes seemed less haunted now. He was happy that they were recovering but right now he just wanted time to himself, away from everyone else.

“Where is the gym?” he asked.

Aki turned and gave Aya, his new team mate, a warm smile. "It's at the back of the house but it's not really a gym. It's more of a dojo. You can see the pool, garden and our tea ceremony area from there."

He waved at everyone, and practically bounced into the house, as genki as Omi short on sleep and riding a sugar high. "Come on in. I guess I'll have to assign rooms. Of course all of DSS has their own room already, even you Issei. Kei was planning to bring you here as soon as we had a break."

He turned around, "And we've got enough space so everyone can have their own room too! The house has a downstairs too, Captain Gloom--" he giggled, "I mean Jas has his room down there."

Brad followed the young killer into the house and looked around. While the place was furnished in traditional Japanese style, it was also exquisitely decorated, complete with a tasteful ikebana arrangement just inside the door.

Ken came to an abrupt stop just inside the doorway. "Damn..." he murmured, wide eyed at the display of elegance. "Well I feel out of place."

Omi grinned at his lover. “That’s because you are, Ken-kun. You won’t be able to trail mud and the smell of wet trainers in here!”

"I guess not," Ken mumbled, not sure he wanted to live in a house where there were so many breakable things. Bouncing soccer balls around inside was something he  
could tell might just get him murdered brutally if he broke anything.

Aya turned to Aki. "I'd like to go to the dojo, please, if someone can tell me where my room is later."

Maybe his room would be better but, no, he wanted to lose himself in physical activity for a while, wanted the chance to stop thinking about what he was after so many years of denial.

"Sure A... ummm... Fujimiya-san," Aki said, taking note of the icy stare. "All of you make yourselves at home, I’ll be right back." He motioned to Aya, "Follow me."

Aya followed Aki towards the back of the house. Thinking that, if they were going to be team mates, he ought to at least try to be friendlier he said, “My name is Aya not Fujimiya-san.”

"I...." Aki glanced behind him at the all too beautiful man, "I know, but... I just can't bring myself to call you that." He laughed softly, "It took me almost two years before I could say Kei's first name without it feeling wrong."

Aya shrugged. He’d tried. If the explosives expert wanted to call him Fujimiya-san there was nothing much he could do about it. 

A door was opened and he stepped into a spacious dojo. There were racks of weapons along the walls, both ancient and modern, Japanese and Western. Smiling to himself he looked around, not even noticing when Aki quietly left him to it. 

He removed his coat and shoes and unsheathed the katana. A few deep breaths and he flowed into his katas.

Jas was bare-chested, and barefooted, stripped down to a loose fitting pair of black trousers as he entered the dojo with every intention of working out the emotional cocktail of sexual frustration and anger. But the sight of the red-haired man moving gracefully through a sword kata stopped him where he was.

Abyssinian was... nothing short of breath taking. Jas' mouth went dry as his cock stiffened.

Grey eyes focused on the other man, mind gone to a state of semi-mush he walked toward the former Weiss, heedless of the flashing blade of the katana, he drew his own blade and matched the red-head, evading the sweep of the deadly blade and attacking with his katana in a fast moving counter strike.

Aya’s brows rose at the challenge but he turned to meet it, his blade moving through the air like molten silver.

Jas gracefully moved out of the path of Aya's sword and drove the point of his katana for the other man in a strike fast as lightning.

Aya wasn’t there, though, having spun around to come around and behind Jas in a move as graceful as a dancer’s.  
Jas dove forward, his katana flashing dangerously close to Aya as he rolled out of the way. He came to his feet a few steps from Abyssinian, just out of the katana's reach. There was a smug look on his face that said 'I could have had you just then.' It was by no means a traditional kendo move, but in combat it could prove to be the move that took out an opponent.

There was a flash of interest in Aya’s eyes. Silence was combining traditional moves with something entirely his own, or from some other system, and it intrigued him. He wondered if he knew how to use both swords.

But he didn’t ponder it now. Instead he tried some of his own more street moves, tricks he’d picked up in the years of killing men with guns.

Jas danced away, blocking a cut he wouldn't have evaded, and barely getting out of the way of a second one that would have gutted him had he been even a millisecond slower.

The blond was smiling, but the look was predatory, showing an eagerness for more of their fight. A fight that could get one of them injured or killed if they weren't careful.

"Well if you really want to know," Jas murmured then spun and ran, reaching one of the many weapon's racks and taking down a wakizashi before he moved away to let Aya pick up one of the shorter blades if he so chose.

“Your sister knows what I’m thinking?” Aya asked as he chose a wakizashi for himself. 

He held the blades in a traditional stance, katana high and wakizashi low before moving in a blur of speed.

He whirled suddenly, bringing both blades into play, knocking Jas's wakizashi aside with his katana and bringing his own wakizashi into a position where he would have gutted the blond if they weren't sparring.

He could have used his own talents to read the blond's intentions had he wished but they were evenly matched and it was more fun this way.

Jas stepped closer, let the razor sharp blade of the wakizashi graze his belly. He was smiling, “Look down,” he told the red-head.

His own wakizashi was just short of touching the inside of Aya's thigh. “We'd both die but that's not what we want is it?” Jas asked as he looked away. “Kei's been teaching me for three years and he still beats me every time. Think about it.”

“He's that good then?" Aya asked. "I've only seen him with a gun so far. You’re very good,” Aya conceded. “You’ve got some moves I’ve not seen before and you’re fast so Kei must be a master of the art.” He dropped his guard and stepped away. “What do you want?”

“Something I can't have,” Jas replied softly as he turned and started to walk away. “I want you.”

Shock froze Aya into immobility for a second or two then he reacted and dived after the blond. Swords went clattering across the polished wood floor as he tackled Jas ending with the blond on his back and Aya straddling his hips.

“What makes you think you can’t have me?” he demanded. 

Jas lay beneath the other assassin, eyes wide, stunned by what Aya had done. His cock was fully hard, throbbing with desire, his heart hammering in his chest.

Abyssinian had been plain about it at the airport. He hadn't wanted anything to do with Jas. But this... this situation was starting to confuse him. He'd never been very good at dealing with his own emotions and had, out of self preservation, squelched anything but the focus needed to do his job with DSS.

But things were different. This man had gotten through that cool indifference he'd built up, and he was at a loss over why, nor did he know how to express how he felt about the other man.

“You were pretty clear about it at the airport,” Jas said, somehow managing to keep his voice steady, though his body was betraying him badly. “Now get off of me!” he added a snarling, defiant note to his demand that fell flat in his own ears.

“And how would you have felt if we’d started something just before the others arrived?” Aya asked. “It was the wrong time and the wrong place, that’s all.”

He leaned forward and captured Jas’ mouth with his own, finally letting his feelings have free rein.

Jas returned the kiss, desperate, his arms going around Aya's neck.

The ghost in Jas' mind slipped away to give him the privacy he needed to relieve the tension that had been building in his flesh since he'd set eyes on the man kissing him.

Some time passed before, with a low growl, Aya tore himself away from Jas’s lips to move lower, kissing and nipping as he followed the perfect lines of the blond’s neck and shoulder.

Jas was breathless from Aya's kisses, and he groaned as the red-haired man continued the full out assault on his body and senses.

He didn't know what to do, to say, how he should respond so he just lay there, moaning, letting the red-head do what he wanted, his hands touching and caressing until one finally found it's way to Aya's hair, the fingers gripping and holding.

Jas’ moans were as music to Aya’s ears and he tried even harder to produce them, learning as he went just what the beautiful blond liked and what he didn’t. 

Jas writhed under the teasing, gasping and shivering, his hips rocking from the need for something more: contact with his aching cock.

Aya pulled away, just long enough to divest himself of some of his clothing and push Jas’ loose pants down far enough to expose his cock. It was as beautiful as the rest of him, long and not too thick, and formed a graceful arc as it curved towards his stomach. 

Aya took hold of it, almost mesmerised by the sight.

“Gorgeous,” he murmured.

Jas groaned, his hips lifting off the floor. “Yesss...” he hissed out, body tense, voice rough with need.

Aya licked and sucked at his treat, his own body tightening in anticipation. Jas tasted delicious a mix of salt and sweet and an essence that was entirely Jas and wholly delectable. Completely enraptured Aya opened his mouth and deep-throated the blond's cock.

Jas cried out, voice harsh, tense. It felt so good, so incredible and Jas moaned with every motion of Aya's mouth. His whole awareness was quickly reduced to the sensation of that incredible mouth on his aching flesh.

"More... Aya... oh... please... please..." he gasped out.

Aya was only too happy to oblige, his throat muscles rippling as he sucked harder.

Jas' thought process stopped completely and he lay moaning as Aya did things to his body that gave him incredible pleasure. So much so that his balls pulled tight to his body as he reached the verge of orgasm.

Aya thought about pulling away but decided against it. If he and Jas were going to make this work at all it had to be based on equality and, eventually, trust. When the blond cried out and spurted into his mouth he swallowed eagerly, savouring the taste.

Jas lay there, gasping for breath, shaken by what he'd allowed the other man to do, dazed by the incredible feel of a release that hadn't happened in his sleep, that had come from someone else's touch when he'd never even allowed himself his own touch.

After a moment he sat up and started to pull his pants back up, unable to meet Aya's gaze.

Aya frowned. “Was it that bad or are you ashamed of coming with another man?”

A faint blush coloured Jas' cheeks. "I... lost control." His voice was a raw whisper and he turned away from Aya, though he hadn't gotten up from the floor. "I never do that but since I met you... I can't eat, I can't sleep..."

Realisation dawned in Aya’s head. That had been Jas’ first experience of any kind of sex. It reminded him of a shy and nervous teenager who had been taken advantage of by Kikyou whilst Shion had lifted not one finger to help. 

“You’re actually supposed to lose control,” he said, “although I agree it’s not always easy.” He sighed. “If it makes you feel better you’ve had exactly the same effect on me.”

"I'm not used to... feeling anything." At Aya's admission Jas glanced over his shoulder at the swordsman. "I... have?"

“Yes,” Aya said, “from the moment I first saw you at that station I’ve wanted you more than I’ve ever wanted anyone before.” And it was fairly obvious that the fact bothered him. “I keep wanting to kiss you, to touch you, to be with you, all against my better judgement. We’re killers and killers shouldn’t form attachments.”

"No, they shouldn't," Jas agreed. But no sooner had he said that than he reached out and touched Aya's cheek, needing to feel the satin of the man's skin. Worse he wanted to feel the other killer's lips on his, to crush him in a tight embrace and... what? Make love?

He pulled his hand back. "I... want you," he admitted softly. "But this... I can't see how it can work."

“Can’t you?” Aya asked voice equally soft. How was he to explain the mechanics of gay sex to a repressed virgin? He grimaced at the thought. “Er…well think about it.”

Jas gave him a blank look that quickly changed to one of deep thought. He nodded and reached down to touch Aya's crotch. "I've never done it before, but I'm willing to try... if... if that's what you want."

Aya gazed at the blond, stunned that such a proud and repressed man would place that amount of trust in him. "Are you sure?" he asked but the hand on his genitals was quickly driving away coherent thought. He did just manage to gasp out, "We'll need something to use as lube."

Jas frowned. "Lube?" His grey eyes searched the dojo. "In here?" Jas let go of the flesh in his hand and left Aya where he was to go open a small chest against the wall. "I'm not sure any of this will work. Maybe you should look."

Aya climbed off the floor and joined Jas at the chest. A bottle of massage oil caught his eye and he picked it up to take a closer look at the label. It would be oily and messy compared to water-based lube but it was the best they had. “This should be okay,” he said softly.

Jas eyed the other man. "So what now?" he questioned. He felt as if his stomach were full of feathers under which lay a big hunk of stone. He wasn't totally  
ignorant of sexual things-- growing up in America how could he be-- but the prospect left him both curious and terrified. And of those two things it was the fear that the blond killer found most disturbing.  
“I think, for this time, I’d better do the fucking,” Aya said in his usual blunt way. “But, once you know what you’re doing, we can switch.” That wasn’t an offer he’d made lightly. The boy, Ran, had been dominated; Aya would find it hard to give up that much control.

Jas nodded, not sure what he was getting himself into or even if he wanted to let Aya have that much control of him. The other man had already exerted more control over him than he'd let anyone else other than Kei ever have.

"I'm not sure about this."

The reaction was disappointing but not unexpected. “I can understand that,” Aya said quietly, “I’m not sure about it either to be perfectly honest but I’m prepared to try if you are.”

"You've done this before. Does it feel as good as what you've already done to me?" Jas asked.

A faraway look came over Aya’s features as he remembered his long ago lovers. Neither of them had ever had the effect on him that the man in front of him had yet it had still felt incredibly good. Could he make Jas feel as good?

When he spoke his words surprised him. “Even if you keep something of yourself back it still feels incredibly good.”

The grey eyes regarded him for a moment. "Show me."

Aya moved closer to the blond and wrapped him in his arms. He kissed him more tenderly than he had before as he slowly lowered them both to the floor.

Jas turned the embrace into a mutual one and returned the kiss a bit more aggressively; his cock already firmly erect and eager for more of what Aya could show him.

For a fleeting moment Aya wondered if he should let the blond take the lead but decided against it when he remembered that for all the passion and aggression Jas was still a virgin.

Pulling away he stripped off the loose pants Jas was wearing before stripping off his own, his cock just as hard as the other man’s.

Jas groaned at the feel of the cool air on his burning hot cock. He reached for Aya's hand intent on having the man hold his erection, wanting more of the pleasure he'd felt from the red-head's expert touch.

Aya was only too happy to oblige, wanting Jas to enjoy his first experience a lot more than he had. To this end he was prepared to take things slowly and steadily, putting his own desire on hold till the blond was ready to take things a stage further.

Eager lips covered Aya's in a kiss that lacked much finesse, but made up for it in enthusiasm and a hand curved at the back of Aya's neck, keeping him from  
ending the kiss until Jas was ready. The blond moaned into Aya's mouth at the feel of the swordsman's grip on his cock.

Aya took the opportunity to taste the inside of Jas’s mouth with his tongue. It was just as sweet as he remembered, like fruit drizzled with wild honey. There wasn’t any part of the blond that didn’t taste good to him, better than anyone else, even Yohji.

Jas pulled Aya to him, holding tight, his own tongue exploring the inside of the swordsman’s mouth. He reached down and wrapped his hand around the hard  
length of Aya's cock, stroking it slowly the way his own erection was being stroked.

It was Aya’s turn to gasp. The blond was a natural it seemed and the thought made him smile. He need have no fear that Jas would be clumsy when it came to his turn.

What Aya was doing felt good. Really good. And he was determined to make sure the red-haired man enjoyed what they were doing enough to want more because he  
wasn't about to let something so pleasurable stop.

Not a chance.

He broke the kiss and regarded the other killer. He got a good grip on Aya's hair, stared the man in the eyes and stated in a very soft voice, "You're mine now."

Then he kissed Aya passionately while the hand on Aya's cock sped up, urging him to release.

Aya returned the favour, his own hand speeding up. Jas’ words had had a profound effect on him and he was determined that Jas would be as much his as he was Jas’.

When Jas broke the kiss to gasp he whispered close to the blond’s ear, “and you’re mine.”

There was a glitter in Jas' eyes. "Really? Then prove it."

Aya let go of Jas’ erection and pulled gently away from his hold. He reached for the massage oil and liberally coated his fingers before moving down the blond’s body again to take the head of his weeping cock into his mouth. 

Jas groaned and thrust gently into the warmth of Aya's mouth, eyes closed in pleasure.

Slowly and gently he inserted one of his oiled fingers into Jas' fine ass, keeping a slight suction on his cock to distract him from any possible pain.

At the odd feel of the finger Jas' eyes flew open and he rose up on his elbows to see the red-head with his mouth wrapped around Jas' cock. It was such a powerfully erotic sight that Jas forgot all about the finger inside him.

"You're so.... beautiful," Jas murmured as he reached out to stroke Aya's cheek, and run his fingers through the fall of the deep red hair.

Aya raised his eyes to stare at Jas, who was the most glorious thing Aya had ever seen, and raised a brow. He let go of Jas’s cock for long enough to say, “I’m not beautiful,” before adding a second finger.

Jas wiggled, not sure about the business with the fingers in his ass. It felt... well it felt weird and slightly annoying. "Yes you are and don't argue with me. Only Kei gets to do that."

The other brow shot up and Aya gave Jas a look as if to say, oh really? He shook his head and took Jas’ cock back into his mouth as he stretched and prepared the other man. A third finger was inserted and finally he found what he was looking for. As Jas moaned he moved away from his cock once more. “I don’t argue,” he said, “I prefer actions to words.”

"Then stop talking," Jas told him breathlessly as the fingers found something inside him again that sent another flash of intense pleasure through him. "I want to know what you're going to do next."

“So impatient…” Aya murmured as he removed his fingers and slicked his cock with the oil. “What do you think I’m going to do?” And he was going to have to do it soon. The very thought of being buried deep in the other man was enough to make his cock twitch in anticipation.

Jas looked at what Aya was doing; saw the way his cock twitched as he stroked himself. It was such an erotic sight that he couldn't take his eyes away. "At a guess I'd say you're going to put your cock up my ass."

“Well, yes, but not quite that crudely.” Aya moved back up Jas’ body and kissed him again before lifting his legs and resting them against his shoulders. “You ready?”

"That all depends. Is it going to hurt or feel good?" Jas replied, his expression gone hard and almost angry but it was the way he hid any traces of uncertainty.

Aya gazed down at him. “I won’t lie to you. It might well hurt a bit at first. But I promise it will feel good afterwards.”

Jas grunted an acknowledgement, nodded and tried to relax. Pain wasn't anything new, and he doubted it would even approach the pain he'd felt as a boy the day his sister died in his arms.

Aya pressed against his tight hole trying to be as gentle as he could be. There was resistance at first as Jas’ muscles spasmed reflexively at the intrusion but then he was in and slowly pushed forward. He had to do it slowly as the feel of the heat surrounding him could easily push him over the edge too soon.

Jas gritted his teeth, but stopped himself and drew a slow, cleansing breath in the hope that what worked for other pain would get him through this. It was more uncomfortable and, well, disconcerting, than really painful, but he felt the slight flash of that pleasurable sensation as Aya's cock went deeper.

Aya stopped when he’d buried himself fully in Jas’ delectable ass. Then, just as slowly he pulled out only to thrust back in again, even deeper this time as Jas relaxed. He took up a slow and steady rhythm gritting his teeth against the desire to pound into the blond and claim him completely. He had to get used to it first. A slight adjustment in angle drew a gasp of pleasure from his lover and he smiled. Got it!

Jas closed his eyes and groaned as every thrust of Aya's cock hit that place inside him that sent fire through his body. "Oh God...." he cried out as that heat grew. He reached out and tried to get Aya to kiss him, wanting more of the man who was fucking him.

Aya was only too happy to oblige him with a kiss. He picked up speed a little and began thrusting in earnest realising that, for all his inexperience, nobody but Jas would ever be enough again.

The blond moaned, body rocking with the swordsman's movements. The pleasure was... incredible, the feel of the cock driving into his body even better than the  
feel of the man's hand.

"Oh... gods... this is.... unbelievable!" he cried out. He just knew at any moment that moment where the pleasure reached it's culmination would wash over him. But instead it kept building, taking him higher.

Aya gasped trying to keep control but it was getting harder with every passing second, with every thrust into that luscious body.

Jas grabbed one of Aya's hands and tried to guide it to his cock. It needed to be touched, and he wanted Aya to do the touching. "More damn it. I want....  
to... ah gods.... so close."

Aya smirked and let Jas guide his hand to where he wanted it. He gripped the silken length and pumped in time to his thrusts which were becoming almost frantic. The blond was just so damned sexy and that, together with his reactions, was making the redhead close to losing control.

Strong fingers gripped Aya's shoulders as Jas felt his world turn inside out, his whole body convulsing as the pleasure turned to a moment of reality blurring ecstasy so intense his vision blanked out.

"Aya.... Aya..." Jas moaned as he came, semen spattering the hand wrapped tightly around his shaft.

Aya groaned in reply, his world narrowed down to the beautiful man under him. His orgasm was explosive, leaving him gasping and exhausted and complete. It was as if Jas, with all his rough edges and unfriendly personality, was the missing piece of his life that he'd been subconsciously searching for.

Jas was still breathing hard when he pushed Aya off of him and rolled on top of the swordsman. Hard grey eyes met violet, "Next time I fuck you."

Lips crushed to Aya's mouth, a tongue drove between his teeth, taking without asking, claiming what the blond killer wanted with no hesitation.

Too stunned to even put up a token resistance, Aya opened his mouth in surrender to the blond's demands his shaking arms rising to pull Jas even closer.

The kiss was almost brutal in its ferocity, Jas' teeth taking hold of Aya's lip and drawing a taste of blood, his grip on the swordsman strong enough to make Aya's  
ribs creak.

He broke the kiss when he was out of breath and stared into the man's eyes looking for any sign of regret or anger. When he didn't see either emotion there he  
lowered his head and started to kiss Aya's face. "You're mine now and I'll kill anyone that touches you, I don't care who the hell it is."

Aya actually smiled at the harsh words that had gone straight to his groin and got him half hard again and held Jas even tighter. "The same goes for you," he replied softly. "And yes, next time you can fuck me. That's a promise."

A little frisson of anticipation tinged with some fear ran through him at the thought.

Jas let Aya go, pulled on his pants and got to his feet. "My room. Now!" he ordered as he gazed down at the red-haired man, eyes bright with renewed lust.

Aya shook his head. "No," he said. "I might take orders from Kei, I won't from you. Much as I'd like to go to your room, I'm not moving until I get a please at least."

Jas leaned down and pressed his mouth to Aya's. "Please come to my room so I can fuck you," Jas murmured gently against the man's lips. "Or you can fuck me until my brain melts out of my ears, your choice."

“I promised you that next time was your turn and I meant it.” He smiled up at Jas. “So you’d better show me the way to your room.” He reached for his pants, hauled them on and picked up the rest of his clothes and his katana. “Ready when you are.”

Jas took Aya's hand and led him to the wall where the weapon's rack stood. He touched what looked to be no more than the head of a nail and the rack slid aside to reveal a short corridor and a set of stairs going down.

The blond led the way down the stairs and shoved open a door at the bottom.

A dim light came on, barely enough illumination to show they'd entered a room furnished in Japanese style. A very bare room that contained a bed and little else until one noticed the walls that were lined with all manner of things that had but one purpose: to kill.

Aya gazed around with some interest. “Have you always had such a strong love of death or is it learned behaviour? For myself my katana is just a tool. Something used to get the job done. Possibly why I’m not a master swordsman.”

Jas glanced at the swordsman and shrugged. "You do well enough," he replied as he led the man to his bed. "And this stuff is mostly Kei's. He knows how to use all this stuff. I keep it down here with me because I'm responsible for all our weaponry."

“A full time job by the looks of things.” Aya dropped his things by the side of the bed and stripped off his pants. He was hard again in anticipation.

"It can take some time," the blond agreed as he tossed the bottle of massage oil onto the bed and stripped off his pants. He folded them neatly and lay them on a low table at one side of the bed.

He was just as hard and ready as Aya. He crossed the small space between them and put his arms around the slender red-head, pulling him close, their cocks touched as he kissed Aya and Jas shivered at the contact.

Aya’s cock twitched at the feel of the blond’s pressed against it and he reached down and held them both in his hand rubbing them together gently.

Jas made a pleased sound deep in his throat and wrapped his hand around Aya's, eyes half closed from the pleasure. He swept a thumb over the head of Aya's cock and continued to kiss the other man, enjoying what they were doing.

He'd never dreamed there were so many wonderful ways to pleasure someone, and he wanted to explore every one of them the red-haired man knew about.

Aya moaned into the kiss at the touch of Jas’ thumb across the head of his cock. This was what he wanted and had known it since first setting eyes on the blond. Something about Jas turned him on as no other ever had or ever would. He wondered what it would be like to be fucked by the other killer and shivered at the thought.

"I've never wanted anyone until I saw you." He lay Aya down on his futon, looking at the contrast of pale skin against the black cover over his bed. "You're the most beautiful man I've ever seen. And I want you."

He kissed Aya. "Teach me how to pleasure you. Teach me about love."

“You too?” Aya asked when he could. “Oh I admit that I’ve wanted others but never as powerfully as I wanted you, still want you, will always want you I think. As for giving me pleasure, just do whatever comes naturally.”

"I'll try," Jas said. "But none of this is exactly natural for me to be honest."

He was quiet for a few seconds then he said, "I don't think I know what love is anymore."

"Then maybe I can teach that to you, Aya," Jas murmured as he started to kiss his way down Aya's body, his hands caressing the man's soft skin.

Aya arched into the gentle and sensual touches whimpering softly at the pleasure. “It might be new to you,” he whispered, “but you don’t need to be taught anything. You’re a natural, Jas.” 

And, if he dared, someone he could very easily love.

"We'll see," Jas replied as he kissed his way lower, all the way down one of Aya's legs, slowly back up the other until he reached the red-head's weeping cock. He licked his lips and took it in, going down the full length until his nose touched the tangle of dark red curls.

The taste was... incredible. The slight muskiness sent a pulse of heat, of lust through him and he raised his head, sucking on the flesh in his mouth, savouring his first taste of cock.

Jas wasn’t to know that this was a first for Aya too. He’d done it often enough but neither Kikyou nor Yuushi ever returned the favour. Kikyou because it was beneath him to do such a thing to someone who was little more than a pet, Yuushi because he said he didn’t like the taste. Botan had been different but they’d had too little time to have more than a quickie and then he’d got the man killed.

He cried out and his memories dissipated like so much dust. The wet warmth surrounding him was as good as the clenching heat of Jas’ body and he arched before bucking his hips, trying to get more of such an incredible feeling.

“Oh gods… Jas!”

He let Aya's reactions guide him, doing the things that got the most intense responses. He rolled his tongue over the head of Aya's cock, feeling the flesh  
in his mouth pulsing, twitching.

Jas wasn't sure if he'd have the chance to fuck Aya if the other man came, but he found he didn't want to stop what he was doing either until Aya had surrendered to what he was doing and came.

Gripping Aya's hips he held the red-haired man still, his mouth working on the length of flesh in his mouth with the same intense focus he'd use on a mission.

And he intended to complete the mission, his mouth wrapped around Aya's cock, tongue working over the sensitive flesh, lapping at the slit, tasting the fluid seeping out and relishing the flavour.

Aya’s breath came in short, shuddering gasps as he gave in to the pleasure, let Jas take control of his body. The gasps changed and became little whimpers and moans as the pleasure built up.

“Jas… please… going to… coming…” And then everything seemed to stop and go silent within him and all he could see was a blizzard of whiteness. With a lost, hurt little cry of completion he came.

Jas swallowed down every drop eagerly, loving the taste wanting more of it. When Aya's cock went totally limp he lay down beside his lover and pulled him close. He wanted to kiss Aya but wasn't sure how the other man would react to the taste of his own come.

He touched Aya's lips with his in a gentle kiss and waited to see what his lover would do.

An arm that was still shaking slightly went round his neck and pulled him closer still. Aya’s mouth fell open in welcome and his tongue nipped out to meet Jas’ tongue in a gentle dance.

A soft sound of appreciation came from low in Aya’s throat as he deepened the kiss even further.

Jas put his arms around Aya and rolled the red-head on top of him, enjoying the weight of the slender swordsman as they kissed.

This felt so good, and so right to Jas that he had already stopped thinking about ending their relationship. On the contrary, he wanted to keep the former Weiss in his bed, as his lover, permanently.

He broke the kiss to regard Aya. "Mine," he murmured then went back to kissing the man in his arms.

Yes, Aya thought, yours. And you’re mine. I won’t let this go. I’ve let so much go but not this.

Then coherent thought disappeared as he felt his desire for the other man grow once again.

Jas reached for what he wanted, Aya's cock. He closed his hand around it and gently started to encourage it to hardness. His own cock was hard and aching with the need for pleasure.

He thought about sinking it into Aya's body and murmured, "I want you."

Aya responded quickly, his cock springing back up eagerly. “Then take what you want,” he whispered as a thrill of pure lust ran through his body, leaving him gasping.

"Show me what to do, Aya," Jas told him as he reached for the bottle of massage oil he'd brought from the dojo.

“Pretty much what I did to you,” Aya said. “Use your fingers to stretch me then cover your cock in that stuff. I think you know the rest.” He smiled down at the blond before rolling off him. “Do you want me as you were or on all fours?”

"I honestly don't know. Which will feel better for you?" he asked as he covered his fingers in the oil.

"I don't want to do anything that will hurt you, but I have no idea what might or might not hurt so, you're going to have to tell me what to do.”

“You won’t hurt me. From your point of view all fours might be easier to manage until you’re more experienced. Either way will feel good, I’m sure.”

"All right," Jas agreed, then pressed an impassioned kiss to Aya's mouth, savouring the taste of his lover.

Aya shut his eyes, giving himself over to sensation, the kiss burning into him like a brand. 

The blond broke the kiss, grey eyes hot with desire. He turned Aya around and urged him to his knees. "You've got a nice ass," he stated a he ran a hand over the pale skin.

“Thanks,” Aya muttered, feeling himself blush furiously. It was a strange feeling this wanting to be attractive in someone else’s eyes. One that left him feeling like a kid with a crush. 

Curious, Jas leaned down and licked Aya's butt to see what the man would do.

Aya squirmed and made a cute little growling noise deep in his throat. Then he gasped out loud.

Jas parted Aya's ass cheeks and looked at the tight ring of muscle he would be putting his cock inside of. He touched it with his tongue gently, then added a little more pressure.

Aya’s orchid eyes widened at the feel of Jas’ tongue against him and he gasped as it slipped just inside. “Oh… gods…”

Encouraged by the sound of Aya's cry Jas thrust harder with his tongue. He quickly realized that wasn't going to be enough and pushed an oiled finger inside, moving it in and out.

Aya pushed back attempting to impale himself on Jas’ finger. “Feels good,” he gasped out voice harsh with desire.

Jas added a second finger and felt Aya's tightness close around. He thrust inward, wondering exactly how to make Aya feel as good as Aya had made him feel.

A very loud gasp from Aya told him that he was close to succeeding. An added, oh yeah, right there let him know when he’d found the pleasure spot.

Jas moved his finger to get a good idea of the right place before he pulled his fingers free and moved into place. He was trembling at the thought of what he was about to do, but it was from anticipation not any sense of fear.

He stroked his hands over Aya's back, along his sides down his hips, loving the silken skin and hard muscle. He'd known he was gay since he was in his early teens, but he'd never even considered what it would be like to claim a lover and here he was about to fuck the most beautiful man he'd ever seen.

"I want you," he told Aya. "Can I have what I want?"

“I think you already have me,” Aya said softly. “Do whatever you want with me.”

"I want to fuck you," Jas told him. "Is that what you want too?" he asked as pressed the head of his cock to Aya's waiting butt.

Aya nodded. “Yes,” he whispered. “Please.”

Jas let out the breath he'd been holding, and pushed himself slowly into Aya, a hand reaching down to grip Aya's cock and stroke it slowly. He shuddered as the warmth of Aya's body closed around him. It felt so good. Incredible.

"Ahh... hell... this is good... so good..." he groaned as he slid deeper.

Aya whimpered softly but not in any pain. He’d never thought he’d want to give himself again, had been convinced that he would want to do the fucking and thus stay in control unable to trust anyone enough to do otherwise. But he instinctively trusted Jas. Trusted him enough to hand him total control of his body.

Jas just knelt there with his cock to the hilt in Aya's ass. He kept stroking Aya, but he didn't move, relishing the heat around his cock, the way the muscles of Aya's ass gripped him.

When he finally did move it was a slow outward stroke, followed by a pause and then an equally slow inward thrust that drew a pleasured moan from the blond killer.

Aya groaned in ecstasy as his sweet spot was rubbed unerringly by Jas’ cock with each torturously slow stroke.

Jas closed his eyes, focusing on the pleasure, the way it felt to be inside Aya. His hand kept pace to his gentle thrusts.

"Is this all right?" he asked.

“More than all right,” Aya managed before he groaned again lost in the sweet bliss this most unexpected of lovers was giving him.

Jas smiled. Pleased that he was able to give the other man the pleasure he'd already experienced.

It was feeling very good, but his body was demanding he move faster, go harder. He fought for control, struggled not to rush things, but his body's cravings were hard to ignore.

He let a bit of the control he was exerting slip and increased the pace marginally, groaning at the increased sensation.  
“Oh… yes…yes,” Aya gasped out as Jas increased his pace slightly. “So… good…” 

Jas held off of speeding up until he couldn't stand it anymore. He picked up the pace again, his thumb sweeping across the cock in his fist, adding more pleasure for the swordsman, wanting to make their first time together memorable for them both.

He already knew he'd never forget it.

"Tell me what you want," he growled out. "Tell me what I should do, Aya."

“You’re doing fine.” Aya groaned before adding, “Go harder and faster now.”

He was so close so very close and he knew that when he did go over the edge it would be into free fall. Strangely the thought didn’t bother him in the least.

Jas complied, his hips going faster, driving his cock into Aya, his hand matching the pace.

"Oh... gods...." Jas groaned as the pleasure built rapidly toward the same intense bliss he'd felt when Aya had fucked him in the dojo, though he did find that he missed the internal stroking of Aya's cock inside him. IT was a missing element he'd enjoyed but that was something he understood he was giving to the other man, so it was only right.

Next time, well Aya could fuck him. He smiled at the thought.

Then all effort to think ended as the pleasure spilled over into climax and he thrust roughly into Aya, instinct taking over.

Aya’s breath was coming in rapid pants by this time as he rocked against Jas wanting him deeper, stronger and then he was getting exactly what he wanted and it was almost earth shattering in its intensity. 

He cried out, unable to hold on any longer and spurted out his pleasure over Jas’ hand and the bed.

Jas just stayed where he was, breathing just a little harder than he would be if he'd been working out strenuously. His heart was racing, body shaking from the intensity of the pleasure he'd just felt.

When his cock was soft he pulled free of Aya and rolled the man over. He smiled, licked his fingers and then wiped up the come off his bedspread with his fingers, licking that clean too.

"Waste not, want not," he murmured before lying down beside Aya and pulling him close, trying to urge Aya to lay his head on his shoulder.

"Any time you want more of this, just tell me. I'll be happy to let you fuck me, or to fuck you whenever you want."

Aya took the offer of the shoulder willingly enough. As Jas spoke he smiled to himself glad that the suggestion worked both ways, glad that either would suit him equally well. He draped an arm across Jas and closed his eyes.

“Likewise,” he murmured contentedly.


	11. Chapter 11

Chapter 11

Brad was sitting in the room he'd taken for his own, sweating and fighting the pain behind his eyes. His head hurt, but lying down hadn't helped. The pills he'd taken didn't help.

He needed direction. Guidance. A vision.

And there was nothing. Nothing but whiteness behind his closed eyes.

He reached for the cell phone in his pocket, but stopped himself from actually dialling. Who would he call? Schuldig? The German was in the next room and there was no point in it.

But he had to do something. And he had to do it soon, before Kei was on his feet and established control.

* * *

Yohji wiggled his toes at the end of the soft cast on his ankle. "It feels better than the tape, I'll grant you that," he told Kate.

“At least it’s got a chance of healing now instead of you stubbornly limping off on it.” She grinned at him. “No point in staying here. Aki should have got everyone at the house sorted out by now so we can go and find you a room.”

"Sounds good I guess." He wondered if Aya had a room already and what he was doing, but quickly shoved that though away. It didn't matter. Aya was something he'd have to forget.

"Or we could go find dinner somewhere. I'm starving."

Kate guessed that he didn’t want to bump into Aya, or even worse Jas, just yet but kept her reflections to herself.

“Do you like seafood fresh from the ocean?” she asked. “If so there is a great little restaurant on the waterfront that does really good seafood and some local specialities too. Lots of fresh fruit and great coffee.”

"Sounds good." He smiled at her, "do they take plastic?' His face fell. "Shit, I don't know if I've even got any money. They might have gotten to some of my accounts by now."

He sighed and leaned on his crutches. "I don't have any of the local money so I can't even buy us a coffee."

Kate grinned at him. “Tsuki’s not just a pretty face, you know. Your accounts are safely hidden from prying computers. Besides, coffee’s on me. You can buy the dinner and yes, they do take plastic, again courtesy of Tsuki who set up the link for them.”  
"Well I know he's good with computers but I wasn't sure how much he'd accomplished. I figured out money probably wasn't a high priority all things considered."

“It was the first thing he did after the four of you agreed to join us,” Kate said. “Kei figured you’d earned that money and he wasn’t about to let Esset get their mucky paws on it.”

"Well that's something at least." He managed a smile though it still had a forced quality about it. He hobbled toward the door of the ER. "Come on then. I'm buying and you can order anything you like."

“Oh wow! Lucky me!” But she was grinning as she said it. “I hope you don’t mind company. I’m guessing some of the others will have made their way there by now. Aki loves the place.”

Yohji's eyes closed. He'd been hoping to avoid the rest of DSS, especially if it meant any of Weiss might be present.

"Maybe going back to the house is a better idea," he told her quietly. "I don't want to face any of them right now. I just..." He shook his head. "Never mind, let's go."

“I doubt if Jas will be there,” Kate said. “He’s more likely to be down in the dojo working out.” She shrugged. “But if you’d rather go back to the house I can make us something to eat. I’ll even promise not to make omelettes.”

"No. Let's go to this place you told me about. I have to face them some time don't I?" He looked at her and gave her another of those forced smiles, "I love fresh seafood."

She sighed softly, knowing how much the blond was hurting over his red-haired team mate and the Weiss reaction to his ‘joining’ of Schwarz. Now was not the time to tell him that Kei would expect him to either keep his word to DSS or die.

“My guess is only Aki and Issei will be there and they’re both easy to get on with.” She did a quick mental totting up of her team mates. Kei was in the hospital so she had a shrewd idea that was where Tsuki would be too. Jas would be in the dojo or his room as he was never the most sociable of creatures. None of the ex-Weiss boys knew about the restaurant so that only left Aki and Issei. Or Schwarz.

"Come on then. I can handle those two, and well, I am part of Schwarz." His expression went glum. "Though I'm starting to think I'm wearing out my welcome there too."

He limped along a few steps. "Schuldig was getting really cold with me and Brad... shit Brad's acting really off. I mean he wanted me as a fuck buddy, I won't deny it, but the way he was carrying me around, that's just not normal."

“He did seem very…protective of you.” Kate frowned. “Actually I’d always heard he was a cold sonofabitch and, while he was sarcastic he was also very caring towards you. That did seem a little out of character from what we know.

"I thought maybe he was trying to bait Aya and Kei. But it was totally out of character the way he was acting. And yeah, he's so cold he makes Aya seem cuddly."

Kate actually chuckled at that. Aya and cuddly didn’t really belong in the same sentence, but then what did she know? The redhead might well have a soft side though she doubted if anyone would ever see it. Well, perhaps Jas might. 

She grimaced. Those two icicles probably didn’t have soft sides at all and if Crawford was even colder… 

"So what do you think's going on with him?"

"Maybe that mental invasion has done something to him. I mean we really don't have a clue if either of the Schwarz were tampered with somehow."

They turned a corner and walked along by the side of the ocean until they came to a quaint little restaurant built almost on the beach.

Yohji glanced in through the window. "Nice place," he remarked. There was a menu taped into the window, but it was in English. He leaned closer trying to puzzle out the words.

“Snapper is the main delicacy but they do lobster and crab too. They import some beef for steaks but the fish is the best. And then there’s fresh pineapple, papaya, mango and banana, most of it locally grown.”

"Well I'm hungry so I'll trust your judgment on the food and let you order for me," Yohji told her as he reached for the door. 

Kate’s heart sank as she followed him in. Sitting at a table in the corner were three members of Schwarz, tucking into large meals. At least Crawford wasn’t there.

Schuldig looked up as the door opened and frowned slightly before turning his attention back to his food.

Yohji sighed. "Welcome to my life," he murmured. "But at least they've got their food so they shouldn't be here much longer."

Farfarello glanced at the two who'd come in, then went back to his own meal.

It was Nagi who smiled at them before resuming eating.

Kate smiled back and seated herself at a table by the window. “Have you ever had snapper?”

"Not that I'm aware of," Yohji replied as he eased himself into a chair and set the crutches out of the way.

“It’s a bit like sea bass only richer, more meaty.”

“Playing ladies man again, Kudoh? Quite the whore aren’t you?” Schuldig’s tone was bitter, angry.

"You were just complaining about sharing Brad with me not an hour ago. I thought you'd enjoy having him all to yourself again, Schuldig. Or have you changed your mind about that too? "

He picked up the drink menu and studied it trying to find something he could drink that wouldn't tick anyone off.

“He wouldn’t even come out for a meal with me!” But here Schuldig’s tone was more baffled than angry. *I don’t know if there’s something wrong with him or if it’s me, Yohji. Nothing seems… right anymore.*

The blond turned to look at the German. "No, it doesn't. And you've got to admit Brad has been acting really fucking weird, Schuldig. I mean he carried me through the airport. If that's not totally off for Brad I don't know what is."

“It’s also unlike him to so openly plot against someone he’s allied with,” Nagi said in his quiet way. “He knows we all need each other if we’re to succeed and yet he doesn’t seem to want to work with DSS just Weiss.”

"Hmm..." Yohji gave up on the drink list and set it aside. "You know, the more I think about it, the more it makes me wonder."

He glanced at Kate. "Would it be okay to join them over there? I think we need to talk some things out."

Kate had been listening to the little exchange in silence, a frown gathering. “I think you’re right.” She pushed her chair back and stood up which led to a very apologetic proprietor rushing out of the kitchen afraid that he might have upset her.

She reassured him, ordered their meals and some beer for them both before sitting down next to Nagi.

Yohji sank into the chair next to Schuldig. "Tell me something, Schuldig. When was the last time you remember him being, well normal?"

There was something bothering Yohji. Something that had started to eat at him while he'd been talking to Kate after they'd gotten off the plane.

Schuldig thought about it, glancing at Nagi and Farfarello for confirmation when he said, “before that blond bastard shot me.” He raised wide eyes to stare at his team mates. “Am I wrong?”

Farfarello's mouth pulled down into a severe frown. "He has been behaving in a very strange way for a while." He picked up his napkin and wiped his mouth. "It's been bothering me for almost a month now, but I thought maybe he had too much on his mind. He should have stopped Silence from shooting you, and he didn't. The Brad I know would never let anything happen to Schuldig."

Yohji nodded. "And the things he was doing and saying on the flight weren't like him at all. He acted like I meant something to him, and while it... felt good, I know that's not Brad. I'm something useful, and a tight hole for his appetites, but if he loves anyone, it's Schuldig not me."

“There’s something else,” Nagi said slowly. “The little fatherly chat he gave me. He told me to run. Brad would always stand and fight and he’d never split Schwarz.”

They were interrupted by the arrival of two beers and two large dinners but as soon as the proprietor and his son had retreated back to their kitchen Kate spoke up. “So what exactly are you guys trying to say? That someone’s tampered with his mind and given him a personality transplant or what?”

"Unfortunately, we're dealing with Rosenkruez and as far fetched as that seems, it could be done," Yohji told her.

Farfarello's eye narrowed. "There's another explanation. Rosenkreuz has developed a great deal of technology, some of it based on Takatori Masafumi’s experiments. And I'm sure you remember some of those."

“He was looking for a way to become immortal but I’m sure some of the genetics results found their way to Rosenkreuz. They were doing their own work in that field when I was at ‘school’ there.” Schuldig grimaced at some memory. “Who knows what they might have achieved?”

“From what I understand of them they would look for ways to better control people, theirs and others,” Kate said.

"Takatori Masafumi turned people into monsters by use of retro-viral genetic alteration," Yohji commented.

He took a bite of the fish. "This is good."

He chewed and swallowed.

"And your point?" Farfarello asked.

"What if they found a way to alter the genetic structure of a person to resemble another person then had a telepath tamper with that look-a-like's mind?" Yohji asked. "Or, maybe they found a way to clone people based on the research. Brad's been acting weird. What if it's not really him?"

There was absolute silence around the table, broken only by the sound of the waves breaking on the shore, as each of them took in the enormity of Yohji’s words. It was Schuldig who broke it.

He wanted to say it was impossible, that he would know but he couldn’t. There were too many anomalies that now made sense. “Then we would have a potential enemy in our midst.”

“It also begs the question where is the real Brad if this one’s a clone,” Nagi said quietly.

"That's what has me worried the most," Yohji stated as he took a bite of his meal. It was very good, but he was quickly losing his appetite under the weight of their discussion.

"If this isn't Brad, then where is he... and more importantly, who has him?" Yohji asked. "And considering the situation, I think we can all guess who probably has him."

Farfarello's face twisted into an expression that made the nearest customers nervously get up and leave their tables. "We have to face facts then--" he looked from Schuldig to Nagi, "Brad may not even be alive anymore."

And that was a very sobering thought.

“If I was a Rosenkreuz scientist experimenting in cloning I would want to keep the original to make certain I was producing infallible copies,” Kate said. “I certainly wouldn’t kill the master copy.”

"Brad might not have left them much choice though," Farfarello remarked, the anger changing to a desolate look. "He wouldn't have been taken without a fight, and he's always said if it came down to it, he'd die before he'd be taken by them."

"Yeah, he even told me that if there was no chance to escape, make sure I died rather than let them take me," Yohji stated and took another bite of his meal. "But if he is alive, where do you think they'd take him?"

“My first guess would be one of their research facilities but he would have to be kept comatose to keep him there,” Schuldig said. “They’re not somewhere you’d want to be awake and aware anyway.”

“There’s one thing they would never be able to clone,” Nagi said quietly, “his talent. If that is a clone, being controlled by a telepath, it’s just been moved well out of range of all telepaths bar Schu. It will be interesting to see what he can do without input.”

There was a coldness about Nagi, as if something had died within him, some spark that kept him human.

Yohji finished as much of the meal as he could and shoved the plate aside, barely having finished half of the food. "Let's pay and get back to the house. I think we need to have a talk with that imitation Brad. If we're lucky maybe it knows where Crawford is." He met Schuldig's gaze, "Or maybe you can find the telepath that was controlling him. Don't they have a sort of mental signature or something that you can  
track?"

Schuldig shook his head. “Yohji, Yohji how many times do you need to be told that a telepath has to get reasonably close in order to manipulate or control someone’s mind? I doubt if there’s a telepath apart from yours truly within a thousand miles of us.”

He smirked suddenly. “Which means that if that thing is a clone and being controlled, it’s now on its own.”

"And what about Aya? If you can do it, I'd bet he can too, and if he can, it stands to reason there might just be someone else, doesn't there?" Yohji drawled and hobbled for the door. "And I was trying to find out if you could figure out what telepath was  
controlling our faux Brad and kill him or her."

He looked the German up and down, "But maybe I should ask Aya to do it since it's out of your league." He was being petty and he knew it, but he wasn't in a very pleasant mood and he felt like sharing it.

“Damn! I’d forgotten Aya.” Schuldig went silent for a moment before he smirked. “Though I don’t think he’d thank you for disturbing him right now.” If Kudoh wanted to be a prick, he could match him. How could he be expected to function normally when the man who was his whole world was missing replaced by something else?

He did another scan of the island. There was a buzz of power from those present, including the woman, and from the house where Jas and Aya were, a sense of implacable will from the hospital and nothing else. The island was clear. And he now knew beyond shadow of a doubt that the thing calling itself Brad Crawford was not his lover.

“It’s on its own and very confused as nobody has given it a ‘vision’.” He concentrated on the clone trying to read what was there. There was the trace of a very powerful mind but it wasn’t one he recognised and it couldn’t reach the construct while it was here.

"Let's go do this then," Yohji said as he headed down the street.

Farfarello frowned and glanced at Nagi. *I think someone should give him some help,* he said over the Schwarz mental link. *Kudoh is part of Schwarz, even  
if that thing isn't Brad, that happened long before Crawford was taken from us, so he had a reason to want that kitten. And it probably wasn't just for the two of you to fuck, Schuldig.*

Schuldig thought not a word in reply but strode after Yohji and Kate. Nagi shook his head and actually grinned at his lover. *You really are a clever bastard* he sent, his mental voice full of admiration and another tone that spoke of endearment. Then he turned to follow the others.  
The Irishman let loose with a string of Gaelic invective that would have melted a nun. He turned to Nagi and gripped his lover’s arms, leaning down to impress on the teen what he’d realized. *Brad must have known he was going to be grabbed and knew there wasn’t anything he could do to stop it. None of us would have figured this out if that pretty-boy blond wasn’t with us.*

*Which means what exactly that we’re stupid or that Brad saw something else?* 

*My guess is that he knows we trust him so implicitly that we’d never question him. And that’s true. Even when that thing gave you the talk about running while the three of us stayed and died fighting RK, you never questioned it. Neither did we.*

*So the controlling telepath knows our team dynamics rather well and Yohji, who doesn’t, saw the oddities in the behaviour first. I think we need to find out what this thing knows.*

*That’s my guess. And they probably used him to get a grip on Schuldig’s mind. Those two are tightly linked. And yes, we do need to know what that thing knows, not that he’ll be of much use. He’s a tool, no more and no less,* he agreed and let his lover go. *And don’t sell Kudoh short. Much as I hate to admit it-- and I do-- he’s as clever as Brad in his own way.* He glanced at Schuldig’s retreating back, *And that power of his is hellaciously dangerous.*

*Farf, I don’t sell anyone that was on that plane short. Schwarz, Weiss or DSS. There isn’t a fool amongst us.* There was a slight shudder as he thought about what Yohji’s power could do. *Let’s hope this ‘tool’ can tell us where Brad is before I crush it or Kudoh sucks out its soul… always supposing it has one.*

*Probably doesn’t. It’s a made thing isn’t it?*

They were following the three to the house down a quiet street that had only very light traffic. Palm trees swayed in the breeze.

*I wish Brad were with us. He’d love this place, don’t you think so Nagi?*

A tear escaped and Nagi reached blindly for Farfarello’s hand. *Yes, he would. Farf…do you think he’s dead?*

*Honestly?* Farfarello squeezed the younger man’s hand. *Yes, Nagi. I do.*

* * * * * * *

Tsuki watched Kei sleep, his mind going back to the time when he’d been fool enough to not only hack into DSS but then to present them with what he’d found. He knew he’d been lucky to escape with his life, that only his use as a computer whiz had saved him. 

He smiled to himself. The adrenaline rush had been something else! Kei and Jas had circled him like a pair of stalking cats before moving in on him where he sat helpless. Kei had touched his face, pressed his lips close to his ear as he’d whispered into it that he would be loyal or die. He blushed at the memory of how hard he’d been. Felt that same hardness as he remembered.

“Bet I know what you’re thinking about,” a voice murmured from the bed. Kei’s eyes were open, gaze focused on Tsuki’s lap.

Tsuki’s blush deepened even further if that were possible and he looked at just about anything but the man in the bed. “Oh? What?” he enquired with an assumption of calm he was far from feeling. 

It had been easy when Kei had been almost helpless but now he was out of danger he had the effect he always did on Tsuki. The adrenaline was pumping through his veins strongly enough to make him breathless.

“My guess is that you’re thinking about the day we met. Am I wrong?”

He could only be honest and hell with the consequences. “No, you’re not wrong.” He looked up then, his black eyes full of anger. “Was it necessary to tease me like that? It’s not as if you want me.”

“What makes you think I don’t want you, Tsuki? Have I told you I’m not interested?” Kei asked.

Tsuki swallowed hard, hope creeping in where there had been none before. But the words of Aki and Hisato came back to haunt him. “You’re about the only one who hasn’t. I’ve been told repeatedly that I’m wasting my time.” 

Black eyes widened and a hand stole to his mouth as he realised what he’d admitted in his fit of pique. 

"Do you always listen to what other people tell you? If so, maybe you need to learn to think for yourself," Kei murmured and let his eyes drift closed. "We're alone and I'm not able to struggle. A brave man might see opportunity in such a situation."

Eyes dark as a starless night narrowed at Kei’s words. They stung as Tsuki knew they’d been intended to. The adrenaline coursed through him tempered by his anger and desire, the fight or flee mechanism urging him to fight for what he wanted.

Before he could stop to think, to second guess himself, he was on his feet and heading purposefully towards the bed.

Once there he leaned over and kissed Kei, part of him wondering how the man would react.

Kei responded by kissing Tsuki with as much intensity as he displayed on a mission, all but pulling the smaller man into the hospital bed.

Tsuki didn’t fight it for two reasons, one he didn’t want to do Kei even more damage and two he wanted this far too much to even consider resisting. 

And it had been well worth waiting for, Kei’s intense kiss as perfect as everything else about the man, driving all thoughts of his lost lover from his mind possibly forever.

Kei pulled Tsuki into the bed with him, wrapping his arms around the slender man and holding Tsuki tight as he kissed him. He broke the kiss and looked into the  
younger man's eyes, "Before we go farther with this, you have to know that once something is mine I don't ever let it go.

"Think you can handle that?"

Tsuki gazed back noticing the tiny flecks of dark gold in Kei’s intense eyes. “Do you really want me forever?” His leader’s statement and subsequent question had left him stunned. “I thought you might only want me maybe once or twice.” And although he would be happy to have even that much the thought of being Kei’s for good excited him in the most profound way.

Mind made up all of a sudden, he returned Kei’s embrace gently so as not to hurt the man further. “I think I can handle that.”

Kei eventually broke the kiss, gently pushing Tsuki away to regard him with eyes that all but burned, the look he was giving Tsuki the most intense the man had ever seen on his leader's face. "Don't give me an answer yet. You need to think a few additional things over," he warned.

"First, I'm driven by things other than my balls. I'm sure you're aware of that. I'm also sure you're aware that sex isn't any more a part of my life than it has been for Jas in the past."

And he hoped to hell Jas and Aya had themselves straightened out before he left the hospital. There was too much for him to do without dealing with tension between them.

"Second, if we ever have sex I'll decide when and where and what happens, not you.

"Third being mine means you're subject to higher standards than those I hold you to now. Keep that in mind and give me your decision at the end of the week."

He shoved the blankets aside. "And now go find my clothes. I've got work to do and it can't be done lying here in bed."

Tsuki sighed at Kei’s stubbornness in wanting to get up with a half healed wound but knew better than to even attempt arguing. Instead he scrambled off the bed and crossed the room to get the bag of clean clothes Aki had brought to the little hospital from the house. The clothes Kei had been wearing being blood-soaked. 

He placed the bag on the bed where Kei could reach it easily and turned his back to give the man some privacy as he mulled over what he had said.

The first point he’d already known and it had added to the belief that Kei didn’t want him at all. Could he live with that? Hadn’t he been prepared to settle for one night with the man? He could live with what he was given.

The second point was also a given and was part of the attraction Kei held for him. He needed someone else to call the tune and knew instinctively that Kei would. A smile caressed shapely lips as he considered it. 

The third point was the one that gave him pause. What exactly had Kei meant by higher standards? Was it the way he looked, dressed? Was it in his work? The smile died as he wondered if he could live up to such standards. He was impetuous by nature and might rebel and that could get him hurt if not killed.

Deciding he might need further clarification on point three he was suddenly glad of the week he’d been given.

"To clarify things and put this into perspective for you, Tsuki, you're the first person I've given this offer to, and if you decide not to accept, you'll be the last one."

No one had ever interested him the way the cross-dressing Tsuki did. Not even cute little Aki had drawn him the way the computer hacker had. He glanced at the younger man from the corner of his eye, fully understanding how Jas must feel to go chasing  
after that red-head.

He wanted nothing more than to drag Tsuki into his bed and...

When his cock twitched and tried to go stiff Kei shoved what he'd been thinking about aside. He wasn't strong enough to do anything. Not yet. And he didn't want to torment himself thinking about what he wasn't able to do, and wasn't sure Tsuki was ready to give.

He knew his demands were unrealistic, but he also had a full understanding of his own psyche and knew what hellishness any lover he took would be in store for.

He'd toyed with the idea of taking Jas as his lover at one time, but the blond had shown no interest.

But Tsuki.

Tsuki wanted him.

He was halfway dressed when his body warned him he was pushing too hard. He sat down, dizziness making the room spin.

"Tsuki, can you help me with my pants?" It wasn't fair to ask Tsuki for this, but he had no real choice if he wanted to get to the house and handle the problems his mind kept warning him were starting to occur.

Tsuki’s black eyes widened at that and he swallowed nervously. That was a hell of a responsibility no matter how flattering and he wasn’t thinking about the pants. It was the first statement that Kei had made that had him stunned. Never before and never again the man had said. He stood dazed until he remembered that Kei wanted some help. He picked the pants out of the bag and slipped them over Kei’s bare feet, frowning at how pale the man had gone. 

“Use your brain not your body for a while. You’ve got plenty of arms and legs to call on if you need them.”

Kei nodded. “I know, and I’m going to rely on you, Kate and Jas heavily for a while.” He let the younger man get his pants up his legs.

When the trousers reached his thighs he took Tsuki’s hands in his. “I want you to know I’m not joking with you this time. I’m serious about how I feel. I want you if you can stand my terms, but I won’t pressure you. It’s your choice.”

The dark gaze looked away, Kei’s head lowering. “You’re better than someone like me deserves.”

“Oh? What makes me any better than you? The fact that I know one end of a computer from another? I don’t think so. Apart from the natives there’s not one of us on this island that is any better than the others.”

He returned the pressure of Kei’s hands with his own before asking, “Can you stand?

“I know things about me that you don’t, Tsuki. Things I won’t ever tell you or anyone else,” the older man replied. Hisato the only other person in the entire world who’d known his darkest secrets was dead. His only brother was dead.

And he refused to cry because tears were for the weak. But he wanted to cry, and that was stupid. It changed nothing. Solved nothing. And didn’t really help take the pain away. He’d learned that lesson as a boy.

"You said it yourself, you have high standards. My only worry is that I may well fall short of those standards."

“Yes, you might, but so do I,” he sighed. “I made a mistake and got shot. Very careless of me.”

He returned the pressure of Kei's hands with his own before asking, "Can you stand?"

“I honestly don’t know, but we have to get back to the house. I think...” He shook his head, “Correction I know there’s a problem.”

Tsuki nodded, his own instincts making him uneasy. “Lean on me then,” was all he said. “I’ll get you there.”

Kei was right, he didn’t know a great deal about him, but it didn’t matter. He knew the man known as Darkness would never leave one of them behind if he could help it, gave them reasons for most of his orders and that was good enough for him. When it came down to the wire it was a question of trust and he trusted Kei implicitly.  
Kei forced himself to his feet, leaning on Tsuki. He didn’t feel any pain, but he was dizzy and his legs weren’t working properly, either from the drugs, the blood loss or a combination of both.

“Is the car here?”

“You mean that big swanky thing that took us from the airport? Yes it’s here.”

“The driver. Did he... stay?’ Kei was struggling to keep focused, things trying to go fuzzy on him. Drugs. Strong painkillers even though the staff at the hospital knew better.

He pushed himself, making his legs move, letting Tsuki anchor him to ‘up’ when his own mind didn’t know where ‘up’ was located.

“I’m beginning to think that he and that car are joined at the hip,” Tsuki said. “But if he’s not there I can drive you to wherever it is that we’re going. So far this is the only bit of this place that I’ve seen.”

He gently eased Kei out of the hospital room alarmed by the amount of weight the older man was leaning on him. If he could have done so he would have carried him.

Kei’s knees started to go and he clutched at Tsuki, holding on, unwilling to fall when he knew what the result would be: staying at the hospital.

“Tsuki...” his voice was a strained whisper, “something’s wrong. I’m... dizzy.”

That decided Tsuki and he scooped the other man up and staggered out of the hospital with him. The driver, seeing them, got the car door open and Tsuki eased Kei into the back seat.

“He wants to go to the house,” he told the driver, praying that the man knew what the hell he was talking about.

"He doesn't look good. Are you sure he shouldn't stay here?" the driver asked.

Kei was pale as a corpse, "Take me home," he ordered.

"Yes boss."

It wasn’t a long drive which was probably just as well in Tsuki’s considered opinion. Kei should still be resting up in bed not worrying about what the rest of them were doing. But, then again, with Crawford and his merry men in the equation anything could happen.

They pulled up outside of a large house, built in the local style. In its own way it was as beautiful as the house in Japan. A house they would probably never use again considering what had happened there.

Interestingly enough Kate, Kudoh and three quarters of Schwarz were also approaching, each of them looking extremely worried. Seemingly Kei had been correct in thinking they had problems.

Yohji glanced at the limo and frowned. “I thought he was going to stay at the hospital,” he said to Kate.

Kei motioned Kate over and asked, “What’s going on? I have this... odd feeling.”

* * *

In his underground bedroom Jas opened his eyes and sat up, awakened by a chill running down his back.

“Aya, wake up. Kei’s here and something is wrong.”

Aya was awake instantly, his mind automatically reaching out to briefly touch the minds of those around him. Every one of them seemed uneasy apart from Ken, Omi, Issei and Aki and Crawford’s seemed… weird. 

“It’s Crawford,” he snapped and reached for his clothing.

"That fucking sneak bastard," Jas muttered as he pulled on his pants and reached for the nearest gun. "What is he trying to do, Aya? Can you tell?"

Aya frowned, trying to use his talent as Schuldig might. “He’s trying to see a vision. It’s like his talent has deserted him.” He reached out further, trying to read one of the concerned minds. Apart from Kei and Tsuki they were all shielded to a greater or lesser extent but he was able to pick up a buzz of concern about Crawford.

He sprinted into the dojo to pick up his katana. 

Jas was already heading upstairs to meet with Kei and his team mates. Whatever was going on, it would be Kei that decided their course of action.

What bothered him most was Kei being out of the hospital. The man wasn't strong enough to be running around and since he was there must be some sort of serious trouble brewing.

Aya raced up the stairs, trying to shake off the feeling that they had an enemy in their midst.

Because of the way the underground of the house was laid out, Jas and Aya reached the living room at the same time. Jas grabbed Aya's arm. "There's something  
weird going on here."

The door of the living room opened to admit the rest of Schwarz and DSS and they all looked grim.

Tsuki was relieved to see Jas and Aya, knowing they would face down Schwarz if it became necessary and more to the point take some of the weight from Kei’s shoulders.

Aya stayed close to Jas, not even attempting to escape his hold, but his eyes were on Kei and Yohji. While Kei looked as if he should be in a bed, Yohji looked more healthy and aware than at any time since all this started.

Without a word Farfarello headed for the room that the Schwarz leader had taken for his own.

Yohji looked at the two men and he knew what had happened between them. It hurt to know he'd lost any chance with Aya, but, as he'd always known, he'd never  
really had any chance with Aya in the first place.

"We have reason to believe that the man in there isn't really Crawford," Yohji explained to the two men who hadn't already heard what was going on.

Kei, pale as death, was about to follow Farfarello when Jas said, "Tsuki, get that idiot into a chair or a bed, Kate, Aya, come with me." He turned and followed the Irishman down the hallway.

Kate and Aya went after Jas as Tsuki gently eased Kei into a chair. He wasn’t fool enough to even suggest bed until this current crisis had been dealt with.

Farfarello was already at the door when the others arrived. He tried the knob and found that it was locked. One hard kick solved that.

Crawford was sitting totally nude on the bed which was still made. His suit was carelessly dropped on the floor and he turned his head, eyes dull and unfocused  
as if he were having a vision.

He blinked, stared, blinked again. "What do you want?"

Farfarello pounced like a cat on a mouse, pinning the taller man to the bed, a knife at his throat. "I think this is all the proof we need. I could never have done this to Crawford. I know I've tried it several times."

Aya’s gaze was on the rumpled suit. “I can’t imagine Crawford dropping a suit on the floor either.” Violet eyes were raised to the man on the bed. The likeness was exact except for the honey coloured eyes. They simply weren’t cold enough. 

A mind tried to latch on to his and he suddenly realised who or what had been affecting Schuldig. His shields kept the thing out but he shuddered at the touch of it.

The man they'd thought was Crawford glared at Aya, then turned his angry stare on Farfarello. "Let me go, Farfarello, unless you want to spend some time upside down in a straight jacket."

"If you don't want to hold hands with Kudoh, you'll tell us who or what you are and where Brad is," the Irishman snarled.

"Whatever you do don't kill him," Jas said. "Not yet anyway."

"I'm not going to kill him. I might carve him up a bit though," Farfarello stated and moved the knife just enough to touch the line of the fake Brad's jaw, drawing a few beads of blood.

“Farfarello, we need him able to talk and for that he’s going to need his larynx.” Kate’s voice was as cold as ice. “But he could probably dispense with other body parts.” She picked up the rumpled suit and threw it at the supposed pre-cog. “Get dressed unless you want to face us all naked.”

“No, let him stay naked.” Aya was quite convinced there was enough of Crawford’s personality in the clone to make the idea of being naked in front of his enemies abhorrent

"Get off of me you lunatic," the dark haired man on the bed ordered. "I mean it, Farfarello. Get off of me or you'll rue this."

Farfarello leaned in closer, "You aren't Brad. He'd never call me a lunatic because he knows better," he snarled. The tip of his knife nicked the imitation Crawford's ear and the thing took a swing at Farfarello.

The Irishman rammed the knife though the thing's forearm.

"You Are Not Crawford," he growled.

Jas glanced at Aya, "You better tell Schuldig to get in here and help keep Berserker under control. I'd say he's killing mad."

But Schuldig was Crawford’s lover so it could go either way in Aya’s opinion and he’d rather keep the other telepath away from whatever this was until there were more people present. 

*Nagi, will you come and control Farfarello please. We want this thing alive.*

He’d no sooner sent the request than the telekinetic appeared in the room. Farfarello was hauled off the thing calling itself Crawford. “No, Farf, we need him alive.”

"He is alive," Berserker retorted, staring at the knife in his fist. He didn't bother trying to get free because he knew Nagi wasn't letting him go.

The thing that looked like Brad was holding it's arm, groaning and clutching the bleeding wound.

Jas grabbed the fake Brad and yanked it off the bed. "Let's try this again," he said. "Where is Crawford?"

"I'm Crawford you moron!"

"Wrong answer," Silence replied and backhanded the thing.

Aya tried something he’d never tried before. He pushed at the clone’s shields with his talent and they crumbled. All that he found was the desire for a ‘vision’ and a fleeting memory of a room containing several Crawford clones, all in some sort of stasis and the original lying on a pallet attached to several drips and shunts.

“I think Kei might want to know what’s going on,” Kate said, “especially as he left the damned hospital to come here.” She shot the clone a look of intense dislike.

Aya pulled away from the mind that was trying so eagerly to latch onto his and staggered as he regained his equilibrium. “Crawford’s still alive,” he told those present, “and there are several more of these things.”

Farfarello's eye narrowed. "More of these?" He looked at the now cowering thing on the bed, hate evident in his expression. "We have to kill them and rescue Brad."

"That's exactly what they will expect," Jas replied. "But since Kei's planning on destroying Rosenkreuz anyway, this might work out to everyone's advantage."

“I think we’ve got everything we’re going to get out of that,” Aya said coldly. “We’d better find out what Kei wants doing with it.”

Nagi let go of Farfarello and glanced at the DSS people. “If he wants it killed, let us do it please.”

"Bring it along," Jas said. "Kei will want to see it the way it is now."

The clone was staring at them, dark eyes filling with fear. "You don't have to kill me. I can be of help to you."

Farfarello backhanded the thing. "You aren't real so shut up!"

Kate frowned. “Wait, Farfarello.” She turned a gaze as cold as green ice on the clone. “Exactly how do you think you can be of help to us?”

The thing was eyeing Farfarello warily. "You'll kill me if I tell you."

"We'll kill you if you don't tell us," the Irishman retorted.

The clone cast a desperate look at Kate. "I know where they've got him."

Kate glanced at Jas and Aya. “I think we’d better let Kei decide this one.”

Aya had a quick peek at what she was thinking and found it to be remarkably like his own thoughts. Why would a clone want to live? Did it have real feelings or was this just some imprint left by the telepath that had controlled it?

Jas turned to leave the room. "She's right; this is something Kei has to decide. Bring it."

Farfarello grabbed it by the hair, "Let's go."

The clone whimpered at the pain, all semblance of being Crawford gone.

They marched the thing down to the sitting room where Kei and the others waited. Omi, Ken, Aki and Issei having been told the news were there too, waiting to see if the thing in their midst had any value.

Kei regarded the bleeding and naked 'Crawford' in their midst. "What have you learned?" he asked, gaze moving from the thing to Jas and Aya who were  
standing side by side. It was a good indication that the pair of men had come to some sort of terms with their feelings.

Farfarello shoved it to the floor, "It sure as hell isn't Brad."

"No, it's not is it?" Yohji agreed as he turned a cold stare on the snivelling thing on the floor. "Brad would die before he'd let an enemy see fear."

“It says it knows where Brad is,” Nagi said in his quiet way when nobody else spoke up. “I would like to try and rescue him if possible.”

Schuldig glanced up from his contemplation of the clone: a clone he’d believed in had let fuck him. He shuddered. “Do you honestly believe he’ll be worth rescuing, Nagi? After Rosenkruez have had him all this time?” 

“I took a quick look in its mind, Schuldig,” Aya said, “maybe you should too. I don’t know if it will comfort you or not but it does prove Crawford’s still alive, or was when this thing left.”

Schuldig frowned slightly at Aya before attempting what he’d suggested only to find he was doubly shielded.

*It needs a guiding telepath and already tried to latch on to me.*

*So you’re protecting me? How sweet. Be warned I’m more likely to destroy its mind than let it get in again.*

Across the room Aya nodded. Seemingly with the absence of the controlling telepath Schuldig was returning to normal.

Schuldig stayed long enough to see the thing’s memory before shuddering again and withdrawing. “He must have gone there to give the rest of us a chance,” he said to Nagi and Farfarello. And I know exactly where they’re keeping him so that…thing is of no further use.” He gazed at Kei for a moment as if weighing the man up. 

“If you’re serious about taking the bastards on, I will help you in any way I can not as a member of your organisation but as a member of Schwarz. I give you my word.”  
Kei's head tipped to one side as he regarded Schuldig. "Your word?" He glanced from the German to Kudoh, then at the rest of Schwarz. "My intent is to bring  
Rosenkreuz down, whether you help or not is up to you. I won't prevent you from trying to save your leader, but if he's a threat to my team once we get there, he's going to die. Understood?"

Schuldig simply nodded in answer, threw a look of utter contempt at the thing on the floor and left the room, full of disgust with himself for not recognizing the truth earlier.

The clone simply sat there on the floor where Farfarello had shoved him, the thing's eyes blank and staring since Schuldig's mind had touched its.

"That thing isn't even a complete human being," he remarked. "Without direction from another mind it can't function."

"It gives me the creeps, to be honest," Kate said.

"Flesh with no soul," Jas remarked. "Let's get it out of here," he said to Farfarello.

The Irishman grabbed it by its bleeding arm and dragged it toward the door.

"I'm sure the two of you know what to do with that thing. Call for cleanup when your done, and try not to make a lot of noise," Kei instructed.

Even Tsuki was totally impassive as the mock Crawford was dragged outside.

Nagi swallowed a lump in his throat as he thought of his real leader and what he'd done so the rest of them could find help. "The real Brad Crawford won't be a threat to  
you. He hates Rosenkreuz and Essett every bit as much as you do and with at least as much reason. If he's still alive he'll want to help."

Jas and Farfarello weren't gone very long, the pair of them coming in, Farfarello wiping blood from the knife in his hand on a shred of rag.

"I think it would have died now that it's purpose was gone. It seemed to have some sort of self-destructive programming."

Farfarello chuckled. "It attacked me."

Jas nodded, "Exactly. A pre-programmed self-destruct mode."

"Since we're assembled and no one is bickering for a change," Kei began, "I'll tell you my reason for hating Rosenkreuz." He took a deep breath, winced slightly, then said, "I lost my older sister to them eleven years ago. I was too young to do anything  
about it then, and we didn't even know who'd taken her."

He glanced at Schuldig. "Not until we encountered information about Schwarz while we were investigating the Takatori family. He had a secret file about the four of you from the Elders of Esset. Once I read it, I knew we had the answer."

He looked from Schuldig to Nagi, "You were lucky they never found you. And I was lucky that I'd gone away to America with a family friend or they would have taken me too."

Having said that Kei got slowly to his feet as black mist formed around him becoming thick enough to obscure him from sight. The mist faded but there was no trace of Kei to be seen.

"That's why he took the name Darkness," Farfarello remarked.

"Yes," Kei agreed from behind them. "I can't do it often, and I can't go far but I'm a teleporter."

"And my sister and I were telepaths." He glanced at Schuldig, "And we suspect that it was a botched kidnapping by inexperienced RK agents that took her from me."

Kei offered Kate a wan smile. "I think you suspected a few things about my motives for going after RK."

Kate nodded. "I knew the three of us had lost a beloved sibling," she said, "even though you never mentioned it. I think it was why none of us could move on for so long." She glanced from Jas and Aya to Tsuki and finally Yohji who had so many of the weaknesses that Pietro, her Peter, had had.

Nagi moved closer to Farfarello. "I know exactly how lucky I was. Brad found me only hours before Rosenkreuz would have done. Schuldig and Farfarello don't talk much about their time there, but I've learned enough to know why they kept me and trained me themselves."

Issei felt Aki shudder at mention of Kei's lost sister and put a comforting arm round the little drummer, who leaned into the embrace, his face pressed to Issei's  
shoulder.

Omi looked close to tears. "I keep finding even more evidence of the depravity of my so-called family. That is why I remain Tsukiyono Omi."

Schuldig sniffed in wry humour. "It's what your father called you after all."

Omi shot him a look of dislike but didn't disagree. "Exactly."

Kei fixed his gaze on Schuldig. "You said you're pretty sure you know where they have your leader?"

"Yes, he'll be at their biological research facility in Austria."

"I owe Brad for keeping me out of their hands, too," Yohji remarked. "If there's any chance we can save him--" he met Schuldig's eyes, "or if that's not an option, if we can kill him, then we have to try."

Schuldig closed his eyes on his pain for a second before nodding his agreement.   
"We'd also better hope they don't perfect the technique and send an even better copy. That one was convincing enough until it lost its controller."

"I don't think we'll be so easily fooled if we meet one of them, controller or no controller," Yohji remarked.

"Nor do I," Jas agreed. "Now that I know what was bothering me about Crawford they won't get another clone past me. He felt... hollow."

“Also, for all his arrogance, Crawford would not bite the hand that feeds him,” Aya added. “That was what worried me, the way he tried to take over when we got here.”

Nagi nodded. “That was out of character.” He glanced at Schuldig. “Don’t feel bad, Schu. I think Berger probably had a lot to do with your acceptance of the clone. You won’t get caught a second time.”

The German shuddered and looked away. It would take him a while to get over his self-disgust both at letting that thing touch him and at forcing one possible ally to kill another.

"So now what do we do?" Jas asked his leader.

"Unfortunately we wait until I heal then we go deal with RK," Kei replied as he leaned on the back of a chair for support. He looked at Nagi, Omi and Tsuki  
in turn. "I want the three of you to try and confirm Crawford's location and whether there are more of these clones or not. Also, if you can, get us floor plans for where he's being held."

Jas went to Kei and put an arm around him, "You need to be in bed, Kei. No arguments."

Kei's head lowered and he sighed. "I'm not going to argue with you Jas. This time you're right."

Tsuki smiled at Omi and Nagi. “Let’s get acquainted with the computers here, shall we?” He raised an enquiring brow at Kate. 

“Study, first left down the hall,” she told him.

“Okay, Omi bring your laptop.” Both young men nodded and followed Tsuki out of the living room.

Jas put an arm around Kei. "Bed time for wounded killers," he quipped and got the older man into motion.

"Someone should consider whipping up some coffee, tea and broth for Kei. Anyone but me, my efforts would kill concrete," Jas said as he steered Kei toward the  
man's bedroom.

Yohji finished debating what he was going to do and went over to Schuldig. "We'll get Brad back for you, Schuldig. Even if I have to pull out the stops on my power," Yohji told him.

In an effort to mend a bridge that the clone's actions had pretty much burned, Yohji touched the German's cheek. "I know how much he means to you, Schu."

Farfarello pushed the blond away from his team mate. "Leave him alone, Kudoh, he doesn't need your help and neither do we!"

Yohji staggered and almost went down, his balance on the crutches not all that good since he was only really holding on to one of them. He winced as his weight came down on his broken ankle. "Yeah, forget I offered." He turned to hobble away.

“That’s enough!” Kate’s voice was cold. “Farfarello if you think Schwarz don’t need our help then I suggest you start swimming now. It’s only about fifty miles to the nearest island. But if you have the sense that I think you have, you’ll accept our help because you can’t do this alone.”

Farfarello looked at the woman. "I wasn't talking to you, I was talking to this bitch here."

Schuldig shook his head. “She’s right,” he told Farfarello. “Yohji, I know you’ll do everything you can but you need to decide whether you’re Schwarz or whatever this bunch calls themselves.”

Aya, in the process of looking for the kitchen in order to make the drinks and broth Jas had requested, came to a halt. “Yes Kudoh, you do need to decide. Seemingly you’ve given your word to two people either of whom might well kill you for any betrayal.”

"I know. I think, subconsciously, I was trying to get someone to kill me when I did that." He sagged into the nearest seat, "I've been trying to get myself killed for over a year. So far it hasn't worked. Brad stopped me, Kate stopped me." He closed his  
eyes, "It would have been easier on all of you if you hadn't."

"If you want to die, I can arrange it," Jas called over his shoulder as he helped Kei from the room.

"Someone get Kudoh to bed. Drug him so he'll sleep if you have to," Kei ordered. "Until Crawford is back, he belongs to me. After that, we'll see."

“You heard the man,” Kate said. “Bed. Now.” She gazed at the broken blond in the chair and wanted to cry again. Kritiker were no better than Esset in the way they treated their people. The emotional mess in front of her was testament to that.

She glanced across the room to where Hidaka seemed to be trying to be invisible. Reports said he had come close to the same sort of psychosis that Farfarello suffered. Her green gaze moved to Aya, who seemed strangely content now: which was amazing in itself considering his past. And in the study with Tsuki was a young man who had been trained to be a killer by his father and who was now trying to be anything but a Takatori.

Keeping her reflections to herself she returned her gaze to Yohji and scowled at him. “Shift, Kudoh. Sleep time. Nothing is going to happen until everyone is at full strength again so quit trying to protect us all.”

Yohji sighed. "I don't know where my bedroom is, or if I even have one." He closed his eyes, "And I'm not sure I can make it out of this chair anyway so I'll be fine right where I am." He tried to get his leg comfortable and gave up. It just hurt no matter what he did. "Besides I'm waiting for some of that tea, or coffee, anything. I'm thirsty as hell."

Ken got up and went over to Yohji. "Sorry for being such a dick," he murmured and offered his hand to Yohji. "Aya, do you know where we can find an empty room for Yohji?"

“He doesn’t but I do,” Kate said. “Make sure he gets there please. He can have his drink in bed.” 

Aya smirked to himself at the bossy attitude and disappeared into the kitchen where he found Issei already busy with the coffee maker and Aki putting a kettle on to boil.

“Looks like I get the broth.” Issei turned at the sound of his voice and gave him a cool, assessing look before turning back to the measuring out of coffee grounds. “Do you know how to make it?”

“I’ve had plenty of practice.”

Yohji took Ken's hand, hoping that his former team mate hadn't offered just so he could lecture him once they were alone.

Or, since this was Ken, beat the shit out of him.

"Where am I taking him?" Ken asked. He wasn't intending to do anything drastic to Yohji, but he was still mad at the blond for joining Schwarz and saying not a fucking thing to them. It stung. It stung a lot the way he'd betrayed them. Then Yohji'd turned around and done the same thing to Schwarz.

And that pissed him off too.

“I’ll show you,” Kate said and led the way down the hall. She opened the third door along revealing a pleasant room with a large bed and a sea view. She crossed it quickly and turned down the covers on the bed so that Ken could ease Yohji onto it easily enough.

Yohji's butt hit bed and he eyed Ken warily. "Thanks."

"No problem." He watched Kate. "He sleeps better if the room's dark."  
“So lower the blinds,” Kate suggested sweetly. “Do you want tea or coffee, Kudoh?”

Ken went to the blinds and fiddled with them until he got them to go down.

"A mocha latte with whipping cream and chocolate shavings on top. Failing that, tea and someone soft and warm to cuddle."

Kate crossed her arms and stared down at him, shaking her head as she did so. “Ken, be a love and get Kudoh a cup of tea please. I’m sure you know how he likes it. Then you’re free to join either Omi or Aya and whine at one of them.”

Ken stared at her for a moment, then left.

"I was joking, Kate. So don't bite my head off, okay?" Yohji muttered as he started to unbutton his shirt.

“I wasn’t intending to. I think enough people have had a go at you for one day. All I’m going to say is this – the man says you’re in our team until we find Crawford. Don’t betray us the way you have both Weiss and Schwarz or I’ll save Jas the trouble and kill you myself.”

"If I'd betrayed Weiss I would have told Esset where they were. If I'd betrayed Schwarz I could have done the same thing! And if I wanted to fucking betray your precious fucking DSS I'd have already found a way to do it. So fuck you very much!"

He turned over on the bed to hide the new tears trying to escape his eyes. "And tell Ken I don't want the tea because all he'll do is come back and bitch at me!"

“No, he won’t. I’m sorry, Kudoh, I should have known better.” She sat down on the edge of the bed, careful to keep from jarring his ankle any further. “They’re bitching cos you hurt them, that’s all. People care about you, Kudoh.”

"Do they? I was destroying myself right under their noses and they said not shit. I didn't think they gave a damn. And then Aya..." he shook his head. "I can't take the pain anymore, Kate. And I'm not talking about my ankle." He gave a shaky sigh, trying to stop the frustrated tears. "I wish someone would kill me. I just can't keep doing this... I just..." He went silent and lay there with his shoulders shaking.

He'd lost Aya, Brad didn't love him either and it hurt so much he wanted to go to sleep and never wake up.

Yohji pulled off his watch and held it behind him. "I don't trust myself with this right now."

Kate took the watch and laid it on the bedside table. There was a knock at the door and Issei poked his head round it. “I brought you both some tea as the brunet Weiss wanted to be with his boyfriend.”

“Thanks Issei.”

Issei put the tray down where she could reach it and left the room without saying anything more.

“Drink your tea, Yohji, then try and sleep. It’ll probably help.”

"Yeah, that's all that's wrong. I'm just tired, right?" Yohji wiped his face on the sheets and sat up, reaching for the tea.

He felt like the world was crashing down around him.

It was the same way he'd felt when Asuka died.

“No, I don’t think it is all that’s wrong. When my brother took to drugs, he had reasons, good reasons…” She sighed and handed Yohji his tea before picking up her own. “You seem to be in the same frame of mind that he was.”

"Brad found me shooting heroin. I'd have been dead already if he hadn't come and stopped me." Yohji took his cup of tea and took a sip. "None of them seemed to notice how fucked up I was. Not Ken, Omi or Aya. Or if they did they just left me to my own devices." He shrugged. "Then they turn around and tell me that I betrayed them."

“Can I ask you a question? What made you want to shoot up in the first place? I know it was to stop the pain, but which one?”

He stared into his tea. "Aya."

“You love him that much? Why? He doesn’t seem the most sociable of creatures although he is beautiful to look at. Like Jas though it’s like looking at a statue.”

"Yeah, Kate. I love him that much. You know, he started to make love with me up at the farm house. Then the fucking clone showed up and ruined it." He put the cup of tea aside. "And you don't know him the way I do. Under the statue he hurts. I've seen it in his eyes."

Yohji covered his face with his hands and started to cry. "Gods help me, I still love him."

Kate put her tea down and held him close. Her own stupid hopes had turned to ashes and dust in her mouth in the face of his admission and she mentally called herself forty different kinds of fool.

"I don't want to love him anymore, Kate but you can't just stop loving someone. I wish I could, but I just... don't know how."

“So first the heroin and then Schwarz was a way of escaping,” she said gently as she rocked him like a child. “It makes sense now.”

Time might heal all wounds but not if you were faced with the object of your desires every day.  
"Brad never said he... Well he never said he gave a shit about me other than they would need me in order to bring down RK. But I... read things into him keeping me from killing myself. Things that weren't there," he admitted. "That's finally what tipped me off over the clone. The real Brad would never have carried me, or done anything to show affection. Hell he hardly does that with Schuldig and I think he does love that German bastard.

"But you were there when I figured that out."

“German bastard?” Kate was confused. “I thought you were rather fond of him actually.”

"That's what I call him. He calls me Brad’s Japanese bitch or he used to," Yohji replied. He wiped his eyes dry and reached for his tea. "And yeah, Brad was  
fucking me. Not often, just enough to keep my libido in line and let me pretend it meant something."

Kate nodded, understanding male bonding rituals and insults was sometimes beyond her but she got the general idea. “Sounds to me like everyone’s fucked you over.”

"Yeah. You'd think I'd learn, but I never do." He rubbed his hand over his tattoo and just sat there staring off into space. "I wish I could get drunk or... anything to let me forget for a while."

Kate took a deep breath, leaned forward and kissed him. Maybe she could help him forget. She knew she was probably going to end up hurting herself but she couldn’t bear seeing him like this if she could help him in some way.

But Yohji found the strength to resist, turning his head and gently pushing her away. "Don't Kate. I know what you want to do, and I appreciate it, but..."  
he shook his head, "I'm not so far gone I'll jeopardize you with your team more than I have."

Kate drew back as if he had slapped her. “You know nothing about me, Kudoh, but you’re probably right. It would be stupid of me to let things go any further with someone who has obviously given up on himself.” She stood up. “Do you need a sedative to help you sleep?”

Yohji wanted to pull her into bed, to hold her and kiss her, to forget. Instead he was going to drive her away to save her.

"Kate, I'm a messed up wreck of a human being and I don't want to bring you down with me." He thought about the sedative. "Drugs work," he replied softly. "The stronger the better."

“I’ll get you some.” She picked up the teacups and quietly left the room.

* * * * * * *

"So what do we do now?" Farfarello questioned. "We're stuck here on this island with no way to go after Crawford until they're ready to go."

“We have been looking at RK floor plans and we know all the guards movements and shift changes so we haven’t been wasting our time,” Nagi said fairly.

Schuldig kicked at a pebble and scowled. “There’s nothing we can do unless we swim for it.” His face was bleak as he gazed at the others. “That’s if he’s still alive at all.”

"I'd suggest you try to reach him, but he's probably drugged so much even you couldn't find him," Farfarello stated. "So where does this leave us? If Brad is dead..." but he let his thought trail off. There was no point in speculating.

“If Brad is dead you stay with these guys,” Schuldig said.

Nagi frowned at the look on the telepath’s face. “And you?” 

“I’ll stay around long enough to avenge him. I believe these guys can do it too. Fujimiya has finally admitted what he is, Hidaka’s power is yet to manifest, but Brad was right, there is something under the surface. The woman is an untrained empath. And apart from letting the odd telepath in Silence’s ghostly sister is a very useful young lady.”

“And after you avenge him?” Nagi persisted.

“I’ll join him.”

"And what will that accomplish?" Farfarello asked. "I mean, other than being rather dramatic and the last thing Brad would ever want from you?"

“What else is there for me, Farf? You two have each other and the chance to join with a group who appreciate your talents. You’re not being slowly driven mad with the world’s voices. Brad was the only one who could keep the voices at bay. If he’s gone…”

"Brad wanted Yohji for a reason. We need to find out what it is." Farfarello frowned. "Unless it was just because he'd be the one to figure out about the clone."

He got up from the lounge chair and started to pace beside the pool. "I get the feeling there's more to it though. I mean that talent of his is... pretty damned powerful."

“I think Brad foresaw what was going to happen to him,” Nagi said quietly. “He may have seen something in Yohji’s talent that would help rescue him… or kill him if it was too late to do anything else.”

Schuldig nodded. “That’s possible, ja. And if so, you pushing him away and telling him he wasn’t part of Schwarz may have fucked things up, Farf.”

"Well you can just remind him I'm crazy. I don't know what I'm doing half the time right?" It wasn't totally true. He did know what he was doing and saying almost all the time, but Yohji didn't know that, and if it got them out of a bad situation with 'Soulkiller' then the lie would serve the purpose.

“I think he knows better by now,” Schuldig said. “Don’t worry. I know why you did it. It’s just that Yohji’s really screwed up over that redheaded bitch Aya and us pushing him away might just turn out to be the straw that broke the camel’s back.”

"Maybe... one of us should go talk to him." Farfarello thought about it. "Not me. He won't want to talk to me."

“I’ll go. I’m the one he has the closest link to now that Brad’s not here.” Schuldig was silent for long moments. Here on the island distance made the constant buzz of thoughts bearable. Only the thoughts of the locals and those in the house were getting through and those he could deal with. It was when they moved again that he would need to worry.

Farfarello nodded. "Call us if you need us."

Schuldig nodded and turned away, heading for the interior of the house. He wasn’t sure how far he would get with the blond but he was willing to give it a try for Brad’s sake. 

He looked for Yohji’s thought patterns, using them to track the man down in the large house. As expected, Yohji was still in his room and Schuldig knocked on the door.

The sedative that Kate had given Yohji had just started to work and he was feeling mellow, and sleepy. "Who is it?"

“It’s me, Schuldig. Can I come in?”

"Why so you can tell me what a worthless piece of shit I am? Go away, I've heard it already."

Yohji turned his back to the door and pulled a pillow over his head.

“I came to apologise. Farf would have come himself but he thought you probably wouldn’t want to talk to him right now.”

"And he thought I'd want to talk to you?" Yohji sat up. "Just go away, okay? You're only here because you've decided you need me. It's not because you really give a shit."

“Yohji, right now I don’t really give a shit about anything or anyone. The man who means everything to me is being held captive and having bits of DNA taken to produce clones and that’s all I fucking care about. So stop feeling sorry for yourself just because you’re suffering from unrequited love.”

"Well why don't you just stop feeling sorry for yourself since your only problem is that you didn't even notice Brad was fucking gone until I pointed it out." Yohji retorted angrily. "And if you've just come here to piss on me, get out! I've had more than enough of that from every fucking one of you!"

Schuldig shook his head and sighed. Maybe they should have sent Nagi. “If we really didn’t give a shit would you be Schwarz?”

"I'm with Schwarz because of Brad. I don't really think he ever intended for me to be part of Schwarz. I'm a tool to be used, but that's it. I deluded myself into thinking it was more than that." He lay down. "Just go away. I'm tired and you aren't really  
concerned about me. You're worried I'll tell you to fuck off and not help to rescue Crawford, that's it and we both know it don't we?"

Yohji turned onto his side facing away from Schuldig. "I told you I'd help you get him back. And I will, so leave me the hell alone."

“If that’s what you want, Yohji,” Schuldig said sadly. “And thank you for the offer.”

He turned to leave Yohji to it. It felt strange how he now had his own insight into the depths of the blond’s despair. 

"No, it's not what I want, it's just a fact. I'm not allowed to die, yet no one really wants me around. And that's truly a fucked up way to exist, because I can't call this a life."

“There is someone who wants you around but you’re too afraid to try again,” Schuldig said. “Brad told you – if it actually was Brad – that you didn’t stand a snowball’s chance in hell with Fujimiya; that even if you started something between you it simply wasn’t meant to be. 

“Aya’s ice and you’re warm. It could never have worked. And there’s the little fact that you still prefer women. There’s a woman here who has no illusions about you, that you’d never have to lie to and you’ve turned her away. I guess you felt you were being honourable. 

“You’re right. Kritiker used you, we used you, and even Fujimiya used you. She won’t. Brad saw her over a year ago.”

Yohji closed his eyes. "Good for Brad. I'm thrilled he's got that kind of power, but Kate doesn't need a useless junkie drunk."

He refused to broach the subject of Aya. The man had hurt him so much he didn't even know how he'd be able be in the same city with the icy bastard much less live in the same house.

“Did Aya?” Schuldig asked. “She’s more likely to put up with your little relapses than ever he was.” He relented, realising that if someone was telling him to make a life with someone other than Brad, he wouldn’t be listening right now. “Anyway, if you need friends you have them in Farf, Nagi and I.”  
"Yeah, sure, whatever," Yohji muttered. He already knew what a lie that was, but didn't feel like mentioning it to the German. He didn't have any friends and he was tired of round after round of self-delusion.

"Can you just fucking go away now?" The sedative was pulling at him, offering him a temporary end to the hurt of both his heart and ankle, a kind of mental static filling his head as the drug fought him for possession of his mind.

“Enjoy your peace, Yohji, at least you get some, you selfish bastard.” Schuldig turned to leave but finally the cacophony caught up with him and he slumped to the floor clutching his head and screaming in agony.

Yohji was out of bed and kneeling on the floor beside Schuldig. "What is it? What's wrong?" he asked the telepath. He touched Schuldig's face, and the invasion of every mind on the island faded.

Schuldig stared up at him in amazement. “You can silence them! Thank you. I think maybe Berger did something to my shields. I can’t keep them out anymore. Even before Brad would have to silence them from time to time if we were in a large city.”

He pulled himself up to a sitting position and hugged his knees. “When Rosenkreuz trained me they wanted my talent used as a weapon. What natural shields I had were torn down and I was only able to partially rebuild them. You see, Yohji, its not just love that makes me need Brad, it’s my very sanity.”

"I know, Schuldig. Brad told me that, and he told me that..." Yohji frowned. "If something happened to him I should take care of you. I guess he knew he'd be  
captured and didn't say anything about it to any of you."

The blond blinked sleepily as he caressed the telepath's hair, not even thinking about what he was doing, or how angry he still was with this particular red head. "I can't stay awake much longer. Kate gave me something to help me sleep. If you need me to keep the voices away, you'll have to come lay down in my bed."

“Thank you, Yohji. Go back to bed and get the sleep you need so badly.” Schuldig climbed to his feet and supported Yohji until he was back on the bed. “As well they provide large beds here.”

"They don't skimp on anything, do they?" the blond said as he hobbled to the bed. His leg hurt so badly, the pain shooting up from his ankle that he hissed in  
a breath.

Yohji got into bed, lay down and closed his eyes. "You don't have to pretend you care what happens to me, Schuldig. I know I'm nothing to you and the rest of Schwarz, but I'll still help you get Crawford away from them because I promised I would. What happens after that," he shrugged, "will be my choice."

“That’s fair enough,” the telepath agreed. “I’m not actually pretending but let it rest. Get some sleep.”


	12. Chapter 12

Aki was staring out of the living room window, the events of the past few days drifting through his mind, a fog of shifting emotions laying heavily over him.

He'd killed Hisato. He hadn't meant to, wasn't really the one who'd pulled the trigger. His flesh, but not his mind.

And even though Hisato didn't blame him, he still felt some guilt. How could he not have regained control of himself before his hijacked body murdered his friend? Kei's only surviving sibling.

How could Kei look at him and not hate him?

He wrapped his arms around himself and stared at the pool, moonlight dancing on the little waves rippling on the surface from the sea breeze that blew across the island.

Soft footsteps crossed the room behind him and Issei was by his side, face concerned, and honey eyes soft. “You haven’t eaten, Akira. You need your strength.”

"I'm not really hungry. I'll eat later, Issei."

He sighed and turned to face the other man. "I'm just trying to come to terms with everything that's happened. I feel so bad for Kei. He loved Hisato so much and..." Tears welled up in his eyes. "It wasn't me that killed him, but it was."

Issei shook his head. “No, Aki, you were as much a victim as Hisato and I. I wanted to push him out of the way but couldn’t move and he could have stopped you under normal circumstances. We were all victims; none of us to blame, and Kei knows that.”

"I feel so bad," Aki murmured through the tears. "Kei and he were so close, and... I'm going to miss him so much!" Sobbing Aki sank to the floor.

Issei grimaced. He was so bad at this sort of thing. The streets had made him tough but neither touchy feely nor particularly emotional. But this was Aki everyone’s little brother and the one they all protected in their own ways. He crouched down and put out a tentative hand to stroke Aki’s blue hair. “We’ll all miss him, even Tsuki I think.”

At the first touch of Issei’s hand, Aki cried harder, after a moment he threw his arms around Issei and clung to him as he cried. "They have to die. They all have to die!"

Awkwardly Issei held the smaller man close. He couldn’t agree more with the sentiments. They did all have to die. For Hisato, for Kei, for Jas, for Yohji, and for Schwarz but most especially they had to die for Aki.

He wasn’t sure where all this feeling for the little drummer had come from. He had steered clear of all physical contact since joining them but now he felt this possessive need to take care of Aki, even though he knew he was well able to take care of himself.

Aki pressed his face to Issei's shoulder, too distraught to think about the fact that he really didn't know Issei very well, or that Issei wasn't any more touchy feely than Jas or Kei were.

He wanted to be held, comforted, and normally among their little group of killers, it would have been Hisato's job to watch over Aki.

But Hisato was dead.

Issei relaxed and sat on the floor pulling Aki onto his lap and kissing away the tears that were running down his cheeks. “It’ll be okay, Aki. We’ll kill every last one of the bastards.”

"Won't bring Hisato back," he whimpered and held tighter to the other man.

“No it won’t but you still have me for what it’s worth.” His lips moved from wet cheeks to the soft mouth and he kissed Aki gently.

Aki returned the kiss, seeking something to ease the pain filling him, accepting Issei's offer of comfort.

Issei’s arms tightened and the kiss became less a thing of comfort and more a thing of passion as years of admiring the drummer from afar came to a head. 

Legs wrapping around Issei's waist, Aki’s lips parted, the drummer yielding to the other assassin's show of passion.

Reluctantly Issei pulled away to gaze into Aki’s chocolate eyes wanting to see something other than grief there. “I… I’ve wanted you ever since I first saw you but I was afraid of contact.”

"You... did?" Aki set his lips to Issei's in a gentle kiss.

Issei nodded. “I…I have trouble with contact because of my time on the street so I’ve not said anything. Besides I thought you were most interested in Kate.”

Aki shook his head, "It's a game with her. I'm not what she wants, and well--" he gave a wan smile, "I'm bi, but I like men best."

"I understand about the street. I made some money that way when I was in school. Those rich guys will pay a lot to get blown by a schoolgirl. I quit after  
a man found out he was being sucked off by another guy and beat me almost senseless."

Issei’s eyes narrowed at the thought of beautiful Aki being beaten like that and he held the little drummer close again. “I’ve been beaten more times than I care to remember. Some men simply get off on violence. They don’t care how much they hurt you or whether you’re enjoying it as long as they’re satisfied.” He shuddered at his memories but kept his arms around Aki, relaxing enough to enjoy the feel of the smaller man close to him.

"Jas hit me once," Aki admitted in a whisper so quiet it was nearly inaudible. "He scares me even now. So much rage trapped inside. Like Kei."

Aki laid his head on Issei's shoulder. "They're the most dangerous men you'll ever meet, Issei. The two of them and that red-haired Weiss. He's a lot like them."

Issei’s hands clenched into fists at hearing that Jas had hit Aki but he knew there was nothing he could do about it without screwing the team up even more than the gaping hole where laughing, teasing, irritating Hisato had once been already had.

He stroked Aki’s back soothingly. “We’re all dangerous in our own ways and don’t underestimate the rest of Weiss. The little one was raised to be a killer while the jock might seem naïve but he’s dangerous too. Then there’s the alcoholic. I would say he’s just as dangerous as the redhead apart from an addictive personality. And if we’re to talk of trapped rage he’s got that in spades. So have Kate and that one-eyed Schwarz.”

He shut up then. That was probably the most he’d said to anyone since his mother had been murdered by his father. But his silence had given him the time and space to observe and he knew he was right.

Aki nodded and closed his eyes, relaxing in Issei's embrace.

"You're right," he whispered. "We're all full of anger, pain and sadness."

Issei was silent for a moment but he had to know something. “I know what my reasons were for accepting Kei’s offer and I know why Kate, Jas, Tsuki and Hisato were part of this. What I don’t know is what brought you to DSS. What was so terrible that you needed to kill to appease it?”

"Seeing my whole family murdered to please the Takatori," Aki said. "I'm the only one that survived." He wiped his eyes. "And now maybe it would have been better if I hadn't. At least Hisato would still be alive to help Kei."

“I doubt that. If you hadn’t been there I’d have been forced to do it. I’m certain of that.” He kept his thoughts to himself, that if they could afford to lose anyone it was Hisato. Not because the man was a pain but because his place could most easily be filled both inside and outside their cover. Tsuki was every bit as good on a bass guitar, if not better and none of Weiss would hesitate to kill the way Hisato had.

"Maybe. But if they targeted me, it was because I was the easiest one to use." Akira pulled away from Issei. "Did you hear something?"

Akira glanced toward the kitchen, sure he'd heard a sound.

There was a thud and a muffled curse. “I heard that,” Issei said and drew them both to their feet, he pulled a gun from under his clothing and headed for the kitchen only to find the dark-haired Weiss hopping around and swearing about a stubbed toe.

There was a chair knocked askew showing what the ex-soccer player had hit his bare foot on. "Who leaves a chair sticking out like that?" Ken muttered in annoyance and gingerly set his foot down.

Issei put the gun away and folded his arms. “For an assassin you’re one hell of a noisy bastard.”

"I'm not in assassin mode. I'm in stumbling around in the dark in an unfamiliar house trying to find some food mode," Ken countered in annoyance.

Akira smiled at Ken. "I can make you something to eat if you want." It would help him not think about Hisato or the feel of Issei's lips on his.

Issei sighed and shook his head in amused annoyance. “We do have electricity you know.” As if to prove his point he switched on the light bathing the kitchen in a gentle glow, thanks to the dimmer switch.

“Ken?” Oh great now baby Weiss had joined them.

Ken turned to find Omi standing in the kitchen doorway. "Hey, I didn't mean to wake you."

He frowned at Issei, "I long ago learned not to turn on lights. Wake up Aya and face his wrath? Wake a sleeping and hung over Yohji? Not a damn chance," he explained.

Issei finally grinned in understanding. For Aya read Jas and nobody in their right mind would wake Kei unless it was an emergency. “Good points.”

Omi meanwhile was shaking his head. “You’re always hungry, Ken-kun.”

"Yeah, I know," Ken agreed. "You don't have to fix anything for me, um... I'm sorry but I forgot your name."

"Akira, but everyone calls me Aki." He smiled at Ken. "Or Hana-chan."

“Since we’re all up and awake anyway you may as well have some food,” Issei said, deciding he actually felt hungry too.

“As long as it’s no trouble,” Omi said, smiling sunnily at Akira.

"No it's no trouble," Aki told them as he went to the cabinet. "I'm sorry but we don't have a lot of fresh food in the house. I can open something from a can or make some noodles."

“Noodles sound good to me,” Issei said. This was probably as good an opportunity as any to get to know the two youngest Weiss a little better.  
"I can live with noodles, so long as they aren't chicken flavour," Ken replied. "Though if that's all you've got I'll eat them."

"Kei hates the chicken ones too. We've got beef, shrimp, hot and spicy seafood and um... kimchee flavour. Jas eats those."

“So does Aya,” Omi said with a slight shudder. “If he can’t get shrimp that is. I’ll have what everyone else wants.”

“You choose,” Issei suggested.

"Well we've only got two kimchee flavour left and you know how Jas is. We've got a lot of beef and enough spicy seafood for everyone. Who wants what?" Akira asked.

Ken sighed. "Just like back at the Koneko," he muttered. "No one can decide, only this time I bet Aya isn't going to walk in, grab food out of the cabinet and glare at us while he does the cooking."

Omi chuckled and actually looked round for the redhead. “I think you’re right, Ken-kun. I’ll take spicy seafood please.”

“Sounds good to me.” Issei never really worried about what he ate and he wanted all discussion about food out of the way so they could talk about other things.

"Okay spicy seafood it is." Aki took out two packets and got a pan of water onto the stove.

Ken made his way to the fridge and peered in, looking for juice or some sort of sports drink. Coming up with some orange juice he opened the carton and was about to drink directly out of it when he noticed a pair of rich chocolate coloured eyes regarding him in disapproval.

Omi sighed. “Ken-kun you’re not at the Koneko now. Other people have to drink from that carton and they might not be so forgiving as Yohji-kun and I are.”

Issei chuckled softly to himself. Seemingly Aki wasn’t the only one annoyed by the dark-haired Weiss’ manners.

"The only thing Yohji drinks is beer, so why would he care anyway?" Ken commented in annoyance as he got a glass out of the cabinet.

Omi sighed, knowing that Ken spoke nothing but the truth about Yohji. He tried again. “And how many times has Aya-kun shouted at you for just that kind of behaviour? I think I let you get away with too much.”

"Yeah well Aya's good at yelling, that's what he does," Ken retorted, realizing that he was in a foul mood. Not surprising considering everything going on, but there wasn't any reason to take it out on everyone around him. Yohji was another story, and so, for that matter, was Aya. If the red-head hadn't dicked with Yohji's feelings the drunken shit might not be so damned useless at the moment There'd still be the broken ankle to contend with, but Yohji's emotional state might not have been undergoing the meltdown it was suffering over Aya. Then again, if Yohji hadn't been such a drunk he might have stood more of a chance with Aya. Or not. Ken sighed and poured himself some juice. 

Omi glanced at the other two occupants of the kitchen apologetically before resting his head on his hands and sighing. “It wasn’t always like this,” he said. “We used to be a really good team.”

Issei took in the obvious annoyance of one young man and the tired resignation of the other and wondered if they had done the right thing in taking them in after all.

"Yohji used to be--" Ken stared into his glass of juice, "amazing. Really he was but since he had to kill Neu he hasn't been the same. And now this thing with Aya," he shook his head, "and as usual I've acted like an asshole on top of it."

“Only because you were worried about him, Ken-kun…” Omi stared down at the table top. “We were worried about both of them and I think we both hoped that they would become as close as we have but that clone thing seems to have said something to them that drove Aya-kun away from Yohji-kun and now…” he trailed off. 

"And acted like a total jackass which hurt him even more. And yeah, I'd love to find out what that fucking clone said that drove the two of them apart," Ken downed his juice. "Unfortunately, I think I know what it might be."

Ken stared at his empty glass. "I think he told Aya that Yohji and Schuldig were lovers."

He put the empty glass in the sink. "I'll be back, I'm going to go check on Yohji."

Aki turned a concerned look on Issei, as if hoping the other member of DSS would go along, just to keep things calm between the two former Weiss.

Issei rightly translating the look said, “I’ll go with you although he should be fine. I think Kate gave him a sedative to help him sleep.”

"Yeah, and I'm not sure that was the right thing to do either," Ken told Issei as they left the kitchen. Lowering his voice he added, "I followed Yohji once, I think he's been doing some serious drugs on top of everything else."

Issei shrugged. “Kate’s brother died because of serious drugs so I think she would have the sense to keep the dosage light.”

"Well we can hope," Ken commented as they moved down the darkened hallway toward Yohji's room. He reached for the doorknob and paused. "He's not as bad as Aya, but I've wound up with a wire halfway around my throat more than once so let's be careful."

He turned the knob and swung the door open slowly. "Yohji? he questioned in a whisper.

The room was dark, just a sliver of light falling across the bed from a crack in the closed drapes. Yohji lay sprawled face down on the bed, a pillow propping up his broken ankle.

Issei peered over Ken’s shoulder and could just make out a second figure huddled against Yohji’s side. A figure that looked remarkably like the German telepath. “Looks like he’s just fine,” he whispered.

But Ken had also seen the shadowed shape at Yohji's side. He frowned, shook his head and turned to leave. No wonder Aya had dumped the blond. Yohji had more mileage than most highways.

"Yeah, just fine," he muttered.

“Why does his personal life upset you so much?” Issei was intrigued by the interpersonal relationships of the four men who had been Weiss. Schwarz seemed more settled and he wondered why that was.

"Because we spent a long time hating them and then this," he replied. "And that telepathic bastard did some shitty things to us. Omi and Aya especially."

“And you wondered why Aya turned his back on Yohji?” Issei was now concerned that the two ex-Weiss could still work together, especially as Aya was now with Jas while the blond appeared to be with Schuldig.

"No, what I wonder is why Aya would have taken Yohji to bed with him in the first place. I mean he knows Yohji's the biggest man whore in Tokyo." Ken stopped in the hall and stood there staring at nothing. "None of us are really acting, well, normal."

“What do you mean?”

"We've had our differences, but nothing like this." He leaned against the wall, "Aya and Jas. I mean, Aya having sex with anyone is like having aliens landing on the roof. It's just unreal." He rubbed his head, thoughts sluggish from how tired he was. "Yohji fucking men, I'd have sworn for years he was straight as they came. Then there's Schwarz, not just the clone, but them helping any of us. None of this makes any sense to me."

“I think Schwarz is easy to explain. They want their leader back and it seems like we have a common enemy in Rosenkreuz. As for the rest… did you grow up knowing you were gay or was your relationship with the young one built on necessity?” Issei shrugged. “After all, it’s not easy for people in our line of work to form relationships at all, is it?”

"It just happened after a mission," Ken admitted. "I didn't know I was gay, I'm not sure I am, but," he shrugged, "I love Omi and that's all that really matters. I wish it could have worked out with Aya and Yohji, but there was no way the two of them could handle a relationship together. Well, no way considering Aya's temperament and Yohji's alley cat ways."  
Issei nodded. It seemed to him that Aya was very much like Jas, cold and unforgiving. And the idea of Jas making a relationship with Yohji that didn’t include the blond being at the wrong end of a gun was simply ludicrous. He wondered why Ken had ever considered a relationship between the two men possible at all.

"The real bitch of it all is that Yohji is deeply in love with Aya. I saw the pain in his eyes at the farm. It was the same kind of hurt he had the day after he killed Neu. And I'm really a bastard for hurting him the way I did."

There was a soft sound behind them, the door to Yohji's room opening a dishevelled blond looking at them. "Do you two mind finding somewhere else to talk about me? I'm trying to sleep and so is Schuldig."

Quickly hiding a grin, Issei nudged Ken back towards the kitchen after apologising to Yohji.

Ken dropped into a chair beside Omi. "He's got Schuldig in there with him."

Omi’s eyes grew huge as he digested that bit of information. “So that’s why Aya walked away from him. It makes more sense now.” His mouth drooped. “Can we really work with Schwarz after everything?”

"Complicated hardly covers it," Farfarello remarked as he joined them, dropping into a chair and yawning. "Our leader kidnapped, possibly dead, Yohji falling apart, Schu's brain trying to ooze out of his ears, your leader being shot." He frowned. "We need Crawford back and soon or we're going to wind up dead."

He turned his single eye on them, "And 'we' is all of us."

Omi cocked his head to one side as he regarded the one-eyed psychopath. There was a look in his blue eyes that said he’d made a quantum leap in his mind and it left him stunned. “You never actually intended to kill any of us, did you? If Schuldig had really intended to kill Aya-kun he would have done it himself not manipulated a girl who didn’t know one end of a gun from another and you shot Ouka rather than any of the rest of us.”

The golden eye regarded Omi, Berserker silent for a moment. "Correct, but incomplete. Ouka died because she was her father's daughter, and therefore a Takatori."

“Then why not kill me too. Aren’t I always considered a Takatori?”

"No. If you were you wouldn't be alive right now. Crawford saw you rejecting your family, if he hadn't you'd have died already."

Ken frowned. "You mean that don't you?'

"I never say anything I don't mean, Hidaka," the Irishman stated blandly.

Issei caught Aki’s eye wondering what the blue-haired drummer was making of all of this. For himself it came as a revelation but he was a later addition to the team than the drummer had been.

"If they hadn't killed Ouka, Kei would have. I hate to disillusion you, Omi, but Ouka wasn't as innocent as she appeared to be." Aki said. "Neither was her mother. Think about it, she knew who your father was, and who Ouka's father was but said nothing. Doesn't that seem a bit odd to you?"

“What really seems odd is how you know all of this,” Omi said quietly, “though I suppose with the resources at your disposal it would be easy enough to find such things out.” He lapsed into silence, one hand finding its way into Ken’s and squeezing.

"Kei knows a lot of things because his family has been fighting the Takatori for generations," Aki told him as he put soup in to bowls. "Are you hungry too?' he asked Berserker.

"I'm hungry most of the time, it's a hazard of having a fast metabolism," Berserker admitted.

Omi chuckled suddenly. “That might explain why Ken-kun is always raiding the fridge!”

"I'm the only one of us that exercises regularly," Ken reminded his lover. "So I can get away with it."

Omi just stared at his lover. “Don’t be ridiculous, Ken-kun. Aya-kun does his katas every day!”

Nagi was the next to wander in, obviously looking for Farfarello. He stopped short at sight of the crowded kitchen. "Party or midnight feast?" he queried.

"Both I think," Aki said as he got down two more bowls. "I hope spicy seafood noodles are okay."

"I"ve never been picky," Farfarello said as he pulled a chair out for Nagi.

“Spicy seafood sounds good,” Nagi agreed as he sat down next to his lover.

Aki divided the soup and passed out the bowls, joining everyone at the table.

"I wonder what Kei's going to do," he said as he picked up his spoon.

Issei shrugged. “There’s not much he can do until that wound heals.”

"And then there's the problem with Yohji's ankle," Aki added. "That's not going to heal any time soon, not after he kept trying to walk on it."

Farfarello swallowed the soup in his mouth, "I hate to say it, but by the time they're ready to go Crawford will probably be dead."

Nagi pushed his bowl away as his lover said that. He looked to be close to tears but he didn’t cry.

Issei ate his soup in silence, still observing the four assassins across the table. In his heart he was inclined to agree with Farfarello but he would wait for Kei’s decision.

Farfarello pushed Nagi's bowl in front of him. "Eat. Starving yourself won't help him and you know it."

Ken stopped eating, his gaze on the kitchen window. "Did anyone else see something out there?"

Aki looked up. "No. What did you see, Ken?"

Issei followed Ken’s gaze but whether it was the angle he couldn’t see anything. 

Omi had glanced up and was frowning at the window. “I thought I saw something but it was just a flicker so I couldn’t be sure.”

Farfarello got to his feet, a blade virtually appearing in his hand. "I'll go see who or what it is."

"Not alone you won't," Ken remarked as he too rose to his feet.

Issei remembered another night with a flickering shadow in the garden and rose to his feet also a gun appearing in his hand. “Let’s go then.”

Farfarello was the first one out of the door, the Berserker moving fast, a predator in search of prey, Ken on his heels, the former Weiss unarmed.

Issei was right behind them fanning out to the right so he could get a clear shot if he needed to.

"Blind and stupid, all three of you," a familiar voice said then from behind them.

Issei sighed and put the gun away. “If you must go for midnight walks when we’re eating noodles stay away from the kitchen window.”

"Well who the fuck do you think would be walking around outside here at night? It's not like anyone can get on the island Issei," Jas snapped. "And why in hell is everyone awake? Go the fuck to bed before you wake Kei up."

Farfarello turned to Issei, "Is he always such a prig?"

"Yes, now go to bed!" Jas snapped.

Ken frowned. "Hell we thought Aya was bad," he muttered.  
“You thought Aya was bad at what?” The redhead came round the corner of the house and frowned at the sight of the little group of men.

Ken closed his eyes knowing if he answered he'd be starting a fight. If he didn't answer it would have the same result. "Being a bitch," he finally said.

"Two of a kind," Farfarello remarked as he put his knife away. "Perfect match."

Issei was inclined to agree with Farfarello but had the sense to keep quiet.

Aya stared at Ken, his eyes narrowed. “Strange, Hidaka, I was under the impression you considered me rather good at being that.”

"Well that's my point, Aya, you are a bitch, and so is your new paramour," Ken replied.

Jas took a step toward the brunet, "Shut up jackass."

"Shut up yourself!" Ken retorted.

The kitchen door opened, Kei glaring out at them all. "All of you get back in the house and go to fucking bed!" he snarled.

Issei turned Ken around and gave him a little push in the direction of the house. “You heard the man.”

Ken went inside without another word, careful not to jar Kei as he went past the man.

Aya turned away, ready to disappear back to wherever he'd come from.

"Jas, I'm only going to tell you this once, we're all part of the same team now, stop treating Schwarz and Weiss like shit, understood."

"Yeah, I understand," the blond replied sullenly as he went into the house on Ken’s heels.

* * * * * * *

Schuldig jerked awake to the sound of voices outside. Ken was calling Aya a bitch, which was true and Kei was telling Mr Frost to stop treating them all like shit. Well good for him!

The voices hadn’t been what had woken him though. He’d been dreaming about Brad and how he had called him back when Mr Frost had shot him. He found it hard to believe that Brad had been a clone. He’d been so caring and concerned. He sighed and turned over as the voices outside quieted again. 

It was faint. Not audible by normal human means.

But the German wasn't a normal human either.

Far from it.

*Schu.*

Weak. Distant. But there.

Blue eyes widening in shock Schuldig answered.

*Brad? Is it really you this time?*

*Schu, there's no time. They're keeping me drugged. I want to die and can't. Find someway to end it for me. I'm at the schloss the Elders used in Austria.* The contact was fading. Dimming. *I... love...*

The mental contact vanished leaving a bitter taste and a million dancing stars in the German's mind.

He realised he was picking up the drug in Brad’s brain which was all the proof he needed that it really was his lover this time.

Sitting up carefully so as not to wake Yohji he slid his feet out of the bed.

"I wish they'd shut the fuck up and go back to sleep, or whatever it was they were doing before they decided to have a party out there," Yohji grumbled and sat up, reaching for cigarettes that he'd run out of.

He sighed. "Blondie's really an asshole, isn't he?"

“I didn’t want to wake you. Yohji…I…I know where Brad is. He’s still alive but heavily drugged.” The effects of those same drugs were only just fading from his own mind. “I need to find that Kei guy before he goes back to bed.”

Yohji scooted carefully toward the edge of the bed. "I'll go with you if you want."

“No. You need to stay off that damned ankle for a while. I won’t be long. The voices will drag me back here very soon.”

He pulled on pants and padded down the hallway looking for Kei.

Kei was sitting in the living room, leaning back in a soft chair with his eyes closed looking as if he'd gone to sleep.

Schuldig sighed quietly, not wanting to wake him yet wanting to let him know that Crawford was still alive and in Austria. Seemingly it would have to wait until the morning.

"What is it Schuldig?"

“Oh, you’re awake. I’m not sure how but Crawford just got a message to me. The floor plans we’ll need are of the Schloss Horst in Austria where the old farts used to live. That’s where he says he’s being held, not one of the research facilities.”

Dark eyes opened to regard Schuldig. "You're certain it was him and not another clone?"

Schuldig thought back over the mental conversation. “Ja, I’m certain and for two very good reasons. One, I picked up the drugs they’ve given him and two, he wants us to end it for him. He wants to die because Crawford would rather die than live in captivity.”

"And how many people know that within Esset?" Kei started to get to his feet, paled and shoved himself upright. He swayed slightly, the muscles in his jaw working as he fought his body.

"Even if it is him, there's nothing we can do right now. But I'm sure you're aware of that."

“I realise that. I just wanted Nagi, Omi and your guy, I’m sorry I don’t know his name, to be searching for the right blueprints.” He shrugged and rubbed at his temples as the voices poured in again. 

"Tsuki, his name is Tsuki."

“As for who would know that, until we fought the elders, they were all convinced he was a faithful Essett hound.” He gave Kei a defiant look. “We’ve been looking for ways to free ourselves since I was eighteen years old.”

Kei nodded. "I'll tell him, you can let the other two know." He gave up and sat back down. "We can deal with this in the morning after everyone is rested. Go to bed."

Schuldig hesitated for a moment, wondering if he should offer his help but the voices were getting cacophonous again and he merely nodded and made his way back to the silence at Yohji’s side.

Kei closed his eyes. He was so tired, and he hurt, gods but he hurt. Annoyed with Jas, the Weiss in general, he tried to get comfortable in the chair. He let his mind drift, let the fog from the blood loss close in around him and banish some of the pain.

And that was where Tsuki found him. Having come out of his room for a drink and overhearing his name he’d wandered into the living room. Appalled at how pale and tired Kei looked he forgot himself enough to ask what the fuck he thought he was doing out of bed. 

Dull eyes regarded him for a moment, no real comprehension in their depths. Then Kei blinked. "Jas being a prick got me out of bed. Blame him."

“Nothing unusual about that,” Tsuki commented with a grin. “But you really should be in bed. I’ll help you if you need it.”  
Normally Kei would have turned a glare of annoyance on anyone who thought he needed help, but tonight he knew he wouldn't make it without help of some kind.

He pushed himself to his feet, "Get me to bed then."

Tsuki got a shoulder under Kei’s arm and encouraged the older man to lean as much weight on him as he needed to get him down the hallway to his room.

Kei sank down on the bed, but he didn't let go of Tsuki. "I hope you're thinking my proposition over very carefully, but just to make it more clear," he pulled Tsuki's head down and set his mouth to Tsuki's lips, their touch firm, demanding, possessive.

Tsuki gave into the kiss with a little moan of pleasure. He had been thinking hard about the proposition and the only thing bothering him was whether he could live up to expectations. 

He had no illusions about himself. Hisato had called him a brat and he’d been right. He did have a stubbornly childish streak and he had the sinking feeling that Kei would not tolerate it for very long.

Kei let him go and lay back on the bed. "You can stay with me, or you can leave. Neither has anything to do with your decision."

Kissing the younger man had felt good but he would not push Tsuki into any decision. What he wanted was not going to be easy for Tsuki to give him. He knew that. But he couldn't accept anything less than what he'd asked for.

Tsuki made sure Kei was comfortable and covered with a sheet before lying down next to him. There was no way he was going to be given that particular invitation and not accept.

"If I'm not awake by noon, wake me up, Tsuki. I'm trusting you will do that for me."

“Okay. Though you really ought to sleep for as long as your body needs to heal.”

"Yes, this is true, but Jas won't sleep past noon, and I don't want him pissing anyone else off, especially not the Schwarz because, of everyone here, they are the ones who could kill him and I really want him alive, even if he is a bitch."

Tsuki couldn’t help the little chuckle that escaped him even though he knew that Kei was speaking nothing but the truth. Setting his own mental clock for midmorning he settled down on his side.

“I’ll make sure you’re awake by noon,” he promised.

"Thank you," Kei replied and closed his eyes.

Tsuki closed his own eyes after a few moments of gazing at Kei. He really didn’t want to fuck up and on that thought he fell asleep.

He was awake before eleven in the morning and very carefully eased himself out of the bed so as not to disturb Kei. Let the man sleep for another hour.

Kei's hair was damp with sweat, face just as pale as it had been the night before.

From somewhere out in the house-- possibly the living room-- came the sound of Ken's voice snapping a, "Fuck off asshole."

Sighing, Tsuki went to see who had upset the volatile jock this time.

Jas had the former soccer player face down on the floor, his head pressed painfully to the carpet, one arm twisted up behind his back. "Learn not to touch things that aren't yours and you might keep your hands attached to your wrists. If not, I'm sure Aya will be more than happy to teach you not to touch."

“Could you guys keep it down to a dull roar? Kei’s still asleep and I’d like him to stay that way for another hour. I’m sure he would too.”

Aya appeared at the top of the stairs to the basement and stared dispassionately at the little scene. “What’s Hidaka done?”

Jas motioned toward the pair of sai that Ken had been messing with. "He can't keep his hands off of things that don't belong to him."

From the doorway leading to the kitchen Yohji drawled, "I could make the same complaint about someone else in this room.”

"Now let him up, jackass." Yohji hobbled into the room on his crutches. "That is unless you'd like one of these inserted somewhere uncomfortable."

"Well most people don't leave stuff like that on the coffee table," Ken snapped. "And I was just looking at them."

Tsuki’s eyes narrowed. “I said to keep the fucking noise down not start a world fucking war!”

“Let him up, Jas,” Aya said quietly. “He does know how to handle and care for weapons so I doubt if he did any harm.”

Jas let Ken go, but not before he pressed his knee painfully into the brunet's back.

"Invest in a leash," Ken snapped at Aya and stalked toward the door.

Aya sighed and shook his head. “I’ve pretty much lived on mackerel, rice and pickles for years just because I know you don’t like them so won’t dig them out of the fridge, Hidaka.”

Ken glanced at Aya. "And I stopped bouncing balls off the wall because I got sick of your whining so consider us even." He pointed at Jas, "But that shit from him I won't stand."

Tsuki shut his eyes and clenched his fists. They all seemed to be itching for a fight and that would drag Kei out of bed when he really needed to be in it.

"Ken, go put some salve on your cheek. You've got a friction burn," Yohji said.

Ken turned his gaze on Yohji, "Ya think?" he asked as he left.

"That was a shit thing to do, and I'd advise you not to do it again, Silence," Yohji remarked as he carefully turned to leave.

"Well now I'm scared, the drunk is threatening me," Jas remarked nastily.

The crutches hit the floor, but not before a glittering wire had spun free to loop toward the man who'd taunted Yohji one time too many for his own good.

Jas twisted aside, but a skilled flick of Yohji's wrist sent a loop around the other blond, catching him around the arm. "I may be a drunk, but that doesn’t mean I can't tear you apart," Balinese stated, face and voice cool and dispassionate.

Tsuki was half a mind to wake Kei anyway so Jas didn’t lose an arm but Aya stepped forward after pulling a sharp knife from his boot and sliced through the wire. The redhead turned to face the taller blond.

“If you want to rescue Crawford you’re going to need allies and that’s not the way to get them, Kudoh.” Then he turned to stare at Jas. “Whether you like it or not, we’re part of your team now, or do you treat everyone the way you just treated Ken?”

"He was doing more than looking at them, he was swinging them around," Jas replied not looking at the red-head. His eyes were on the thin line of blood and the wire still wrapped around it.

He raised his gaze to Yohji, "You must have been something before you let the booze get you."

Yohji turned away, bent to pick up his crutches. "I could have had your throat just as easily, and don't think I couldn't." He grabbed the crutches and got them back under his arms.

"Show some respect, if not to me, then to the others. They've done nothing to earn your contempt."

He paused, "Schuldig talked to Brad last night. He wants us to find a way to kill him."

“At least that sounds like the real Crawford,” Aya remarked. “I take it he believes escape to be impossible if he wants to die.”

“Yes, it was Brad. Schuldig is certain about it because Brad was drugged. He lost the mental link pretty fast," Yohji stated and took a seat. He was still tired, and his ankle hurt abominably, but he didn't feel like going back to bed yet.

Tsuki let out a breath he hadn’t realised he’d been holding. Seemingly they were going to act like civilised people for a while. He glanced at the clock and realised he had enough time to make some tea for Kei. “Does anyone want a drink?”

"Well since beer probably isn't in the offer," Yohji said, "I'll take coffee."

“Anyone else?”

“Some tea would be good, thank you,” Aya said.

Tsuki glanced at Jas one brow raised in query. He felt useless. He hadn’t been able to do a thing to stop what had happened and could only be thankful that they had worked it out for themselves. 

Rubbing his arm Jas stood there staring at the other blond grey eyes narrowed. "Once a drunk--" he muttered then turned to his team mate. "If you're making tea I'll take some."

Tsuki’s black eyes narrowed as he frowned at Jas. “If you ask nicely I might even make you some.” 

"Never fucking mind, I'll make it myself," Jas snarled and stalked out of the room.

Yohji watched him go, then glanced at Aya. "And he was your choice?"

“Have you ever considered anyone but yourself, Kudoh? He’s had a team mate killed, his leader is wounded and he’s mourning his twin as it’s his birthday tomorrow. At least he hasn’t washed it all away in booze!” Aya followed Jas out of the room. 

Tsuki decided that the kitchen even with Jas’s company might be better than the living room right now judging by the look in Yohji’s green eyes.

Yohji sighed. He'd watched his first love die right before his eyes, seen another woman killed for trying to help him, been in love with someone who'd let him down and lost the man who'd saved him from self destruction to a bunch of power mad psychic psychos.

Of course he should feel sorry for the man Aya'd chosen to love.

"Yep, I've got nothing to be upset about at all. Nope, not at all." He grabbed his crutches and hobbled toward his bedroom.

Maybe they could save Crawford and at least Schwarz could get back to their own lives and then, if he found even a shred of luck, he could go his own way and forget all of them.

Tsuki watched him go with a sigh then headed to the kitchen where Jas and Aya were silently making tea. Knowing he didn’t have to worry about Kei’s tea as the two of them obviously had made enough he decided to make Yohji the coffee he’d asked for as nobody seemed to be making that.

Ken was seated at the table sipping some juice and reading a glossy Japanese music magazine he'd found on the kitchen table when he'd gotten up.

At least the dark-haired ex-Weiss and Jas were no longer fighting. Tsuki wondered if, with all the issues, the four men would ever settle with them completely. Aya, probably, Omi also seemed to want to stay but Ken wasn’t so easy to work out and Yohji seemed to want to leave.

He made a pot of coffee, grabbed a tray and loaded it with two coffees and a tea for Kei.

"I hate to say this, but if Yohji doesn't get a sip of booze soon it's going to get ugly around here," Ken commented softly as Tsuki went by.

Tsuki nodded his understanding and headed to the bar on his way. He poured a small measure of whiskey into Yohji’s coffee before calling him to tell him it was ready and in the living room. Then he took Kei his tea just on noon.

Kei was sitting up on the edge of the bed. He was pale, sweating, and had his arms wrapped around his middle.

He looked up at Tsuki. "Shut the door." Even his voice sounded weak.

Tsuki used his foot to kick the door shut and put the tray down on the bedside table. “You should either get back in that bed or go back to the hospital.” His voice was worried. Kei looked worse rather than better.

"I know, believe me." He reached for the tea, his hand shaking. "Is Jas acting like a civilized being or is he in full raving bitch mode?"

Tsuki sighed as he picked up his coffee. “Full raving bitch mode with anyone but Aya I’m afraid.”

Kei took a sip of his tea, forced to hold the cup with both hands. "I hate to rush you with that decision, but I'm really going to need an answer I'm afraid."

“The only thing that worries me is that I won’t be able to live up to your expectations,” Tsuki said seriously. “The rest of it I’m quite happy with I just don’t want to let you down. You see I couldn’t even keep the noise down this morning and I gave Kudoh a tiny dose of whiskey in his coffee just so he doesn’t get the D Ts and kill Jas.”

He bit his lip waiting for Kei’s displeasure. He’d probably blown all chances with his little admission but he had to be honest, especially with the man on the bed.

Kei put his tea cup down on the nightstand and held his arm out to Tsuki. "Come here."

His eyes widened as he did as he was told. 

Kei put his arms around Tsuki and pulled him close. "Was anyone seriously hurt?" he asked. "And did Yohji need some alcohol to keep from being worse off than he is?"

“Aya stopped Yohji from seriously harming Jas and Ken said that if Yohji didn’t get a sip of alcohol it was going to get ugly. I was inclined to agree with him.”

"Then its fine, Tsuki." He shivered, Tsuki's warmth showing him how cold he was. "There are some antibiotics in my bathroom. Get them for me please."

Tsuki stood up and headed into the bathroom, coming back with the requested medication and a glass of water. 

Kei looked up at Tsuki and opened his mouth, waiting for the young man to give him the antibiotics in a show of near helplessness, a sure sign of his trust in the other man.

Tsuki inhaled sharply at the obvious gesture, his eyes widening. He placed two of the pills in Kei’s mouth and held the glass of water to his lips at the right angle for him to drink before placing the glass on the bedside table.

“It might get noisy out there but I think Aya has everything pretty much under control and Kate should be up and about by now,” he said, “so I think you should just rest and heal. The more you rest the quicker you’ll be on your feet again and the quicker you’re on your feet the better for all of us.” He grinned suddenly. “And I’m very good at stating the fucking obvious aren’t I?”

Kei offered Tsuki a wan smile and a nod of his head. "Yes, but sometimes obvious things need to be stated to put them in the right perspective." He wrapped his arms around Tsuki and laid his cheek against the younger man's belly and just sat there enjoying the feel of holding someone for a moment. Then he let go and scooted back on the bed before lying down.

"Tell Kate she's in charge when you see her and do your best to keep everyone from throwing stones at Kudoh. He's fragile as glass right now, and too many rocks will shatter what he has left of himself." He closed his eyes. "If Crawford chose to bring him into Schwarz you can damn well believe he has some value beyond the obvious."

“Actually I’ve seen him in action twice now. I wasn’t able to tell you before but I think I know why Crawford wanted him and just now it was Jas that got hurt not Kudoh. He’s frighteningly fast with that wire.”

Kei opened one eye. "He tagged Jas? Well, well, well, very interesting. But then again, Kudoh is used to fighting with Schwarz so he'd have to be fast wouldn't he?" He let his eye close, a faint smile on his lips. "This goes no further than you and I," he began, "but I cracked Kritiker's files on all the Weiss and they rated Balinese as their most deadly killer, not Abyssinian."  
“Makes sense,” Tsuki said. “His wire is usually an up close and personal weapon but he’s mastered the skill of throwing it so it becomes a long range weapon too.”

He opened his eyes and met Tsuki's gaze, "Do you understand why I want him despite his faults. Yes, I ordered Kate to kill him if he seemed to be a liability, and that's because I didn't want anyone else gaining his assistance. He's mine or he belongs to no one."

Tsuki nodded. “I’m glad to hear you say that, because after what I saw at the farm I wouldn’t want him as an enemy!”

"And there are people here who need to remember that, his almost lover boy included," Kei commented.

"I'm going to get some sleep now. Thank you for the tea, Tsuki."

“You’re welcome, Kei. I’ll bring you some light food later and some more tea.” Tsuki smiled at his leader and left the room, quietly shutting the door behind him.

He wondered if he should check up on Yohji but then remembered that he was supposed to be finding Rosenkreuz and Essett research facility floor plans so he headed towards the computer room instead.

Kate crossed his path on the way. “How’s Kei?”

Tsuki couldn’t help the smile or the slight blush. “He’s sleeping and says you’re in charge. Oh and he wants Kudoh treated with kid gloves. You might want to tell Jas and Aya that.”

Kate rolled her eyes but they were twinkling at Tsuki’s obvious happiness. “Great,” she said, “just what I need, two uber-bitches and a guy with one hell of a hangover!”

Ken entered the hallway, the former soccer player holding a damp cloth to his cheek. "I'd stay well away from the kitchen unless you like dealing with a pair of jackasses on crack," he muttered as he passed them.

“I see, one of those days. Damn I wanted some coffee, too.” She grabbed Ken’s arm as he went past. “What’s up with your face, Ken?”

"Your team mate is what's wrong with my face," Ken snarled and showed her the friction burn on his cheek, that now had an added bruise darkening it. "Someone needs to tranq his ass before he's mistaken for an animal gone wild and shot."

“There’s some anti-inflammatory cream in the main bathroom cabinet. Tsuki will show you. Get some on that, it should take the bruise down at least. I’d better see whether the kitchen is still standing.”

She headed for the kitchen.

Jas was seated at the table sipping tea and reading the magazine Ken had left behind.

When Kate walked in he glanced up, and returned to the article he'd been reading.

Aya was also sipping tea but he was standing by the window staring out into the grounds. He didn’t even glance at her.

She poured herself a coffee from the pot and left them to it. Returning to the living room she sat down to relax and enjoy her coffee before all hell broke loose again.

Farfarello entered the kitchen, opening the door of the refrigerator to find something for lunch. He'd been awake for hours, had eaten breakfast with Nagi before anyone else was awake, and had gone back into hiding with the teen rather than risk dealing with any of DSS or Weiss.

He wasn't afraid of anyone, but for Nagi's sake he'd stayed in his room rather than let any of the DSS or Weiss men annoy him into hurting one of them.

Aya shifted so he wasn’t in the Irishman’s way and washed out his empty teacup. He even said good morning his attitude to Farfarello having changed over the past day or two from detestation to respect.

"I'm going to make something for Nagi and I to eat, do you want anything?"

Jas was staring at the one-eyed man, his expression tense, angry and ready to take on the entire world.

“What are you intending on making?” Aya asked narrowing his eyes at his lover. If it hadn’t been for Farfarello, Jas would now be in the same sort of position as Aki, having to come to terms with the fact he’d shot and killed a team mate.

Jas ignored Berserker but he wanted to lash out, wanted to hurt someone. Instead he got up and left the kitchen.

"I don't know, I thought I'd go through the cabinets and fridge and see what there is. Nagi's hungry and so am I."

“Yeah, me too. Let’s scavenge together and see if we can put enough together for everyone.” It was better to be doing something than think about the unholy mess he’d got himself into between Jas and Yohji.

Farfarello nodded and abandoned the fridge in favour of searching the cabinets. "We never ate the soup from last night, but I didn't see it in there, maybe you can find it."

He opened the first cabinet and frowned. "More instant noodle soup. Does everyone live on this stuff?"

“I’m beginning to wonder that myself,” Aya said as he searched another cupboard. “There’s some rice in here at least. Maybe Shadow knows what’s available. She just came in for some coffee.”

Farfarello opened another cabinet, but all he found were some boxes of herbal nutrition supplements and vitamins. "Well that's of no use," he muttered. "I suppose one of us should talk to Shadow. There has to be some food around here somewhere."

Kate chose that moment to bring her empty coffee cup back for a refill. “Talk to Shadow about what?”

"Food. There has to be some here somewhere, or are we mistaken?" Farfarello asked.

“Sorry, the delivery should be made within the next…” She glanced at the clock. “…five minutes. We rather sprung our arrival with so many extra mouths on the local population but they have promised fresh chicken, fish, dried goods and fruit and vegetables by one.”

As if to bear out her words, a delivery van pulled up outside and two men jumped out to unload a veritable mountain of food. As well as the items she’d mentioned there was bread, snacks, various forms of cookies and cake, about a dozen cartons of juice, a crate of sports type drinks a couple of six packs of beer and a mountain of bottled water. “That should keep you going for an hour or two,” she remarked.

Farfarello nodded and managed a twitch of his lips that was as close as he usually came to smiling for anyone but Nagi. "Let me take some juice and a snack to Nagi and I'll come back and help make a meal."

He grabbed a bottle of juice and a bag of crunchy snacks and left to take them to Nagi, passing Yohji in the hallway, the blond hobbling along on one crutch and carrying an empty coffee cup in his free hand.

“Good afternoon, Yohji. Food should be ready in about twenty minutes and I got you some beer and cigarettes. They’re on the table.”

Aya simply walked out of the kitchen.

Yohji watched him go without saying a thing, the blond put the cup in the sink. "Thanks, Kate. I'll be staying in my room otherwise I might get mad enough to do something unfortunate."

He took a beer, tucked it into the front of his shirt, grabbed the carton of cigarettes and headed out of the kitchen.

“Tsuki said those two were being a pair of jerks,” Kate said. “With any luck they’ll stay downstairs for most of the day especially as tomorrow is Jas’s birthday. We go through this every year with him.”

"And Kei puts up with that?" Yohji shook his head. "Yeah, never mind, he would just like I put up with Aya's moods, fool that I was."

“I can see his beauty, Yohji, just as I can see Jas’s but frankly I’d probably get more joy if I fell in love with Michelangelo’s statue of David than I would from either of those two icebergs. They deserve each other, that way nobody else has to put up with them. If you want to sit down in here you’ll just have Farfarello and me for company.”

Yohji hesitated, then dropped into a chair at the table, putting the beer down and setting the carton of cigarettes beside it. "Yeah, I let his beauty and the way he kills get to me. I knew it was a mistake to fall in love with him, but my heart just didn't listen. And I should never have admitted how I felt. Not to him."

He reached for the beer, stopped himself and shoved it aside. "So how's your boss man? I haven't seen him today."

You and me both, Kate was thinking but she didn’t let it show in her demeanour. “I don’t know how he managed it but Tsuki has persuaded him to stay in bed and get some sleep. Now if I could just persuade you to stay off that ankle…”

"I can't get comfortable in bed." He shook his head, "Normally I wouldn't be awake, and I can spend more time asleep than most people can, but it hurts and every time I move in my sleep it wakes me up."

“Nobody suggested you should go to bed, Yohji, just sit down and keep the weight off your ankle. No reason why you shouldn’t lie on the couch with a video or two or there’s a hammock in the garden if you’d prefer to sunbathe.”

"I'm not sure I want to be out in public with Aya in full bitch mode and his boyfriend acting like a psychopath."

Farfarello entered the room, glanced from Kate to Yohji and frowned. "I take it Fujimiya departed when you arrived?"

"Pretty much before I even got into the room."

"If we intend to defeat Esset, we will all have to work together, or we will fall together," the Irishman stated.

“Yeah, we know, Farfarello and I know for a fact that the man won’t tolerate anything less once he’s back on his feet. It won’t be easy having three once separate teams working together but if anyone can make it happen Kei can.”

"Brad could have done it," Berserker remarked as he started helping Kate put the food away. "Without him, I--" he exhaled sharply, "I don't know what will happen to us now."

Kate turned from the preparation of chicken and vegetables for a stir fry and smiled at the Irishman. “You saved Kei’s life and he doesn’t forget things like that. Besides, if Crawford’s still alive and we can get him out of Austria we will.” She didn’t add that what was really worrying her was what would happen if they did manage to rescue the American. 

Yohji shifted on the chair, his ankle hurting worse by the moment. "Sorry kids but I'm going to go back to bed. Sitting here with my foot hanging down is murder."

Farfarello walked over, pulled a chair out, and lifted the blond's leg so the calf was resting across the seat. "Stay put. You've as much right to be out here as Ice Bitch and Bastard Boy do."

Kate’s lips twitched at the nicknames Farfarello had given Aya and Jas. They were very apt.

Omi came wandering in then and brightened when he saw Farfarello. “Do you know where Nagi-kun is? Tsuki-kun and I would appreciate his help especially as we’ve had to start again. That clone got the location wrong. Apparently Crawford is in some Schloss or other.” 

"He's in Austria. Nagi is in our room trying to hack his way into one of their servers," Farfarello told Omi.

He smiled at Yohji “How’s your ankle Yohji-kun?” 

"Hurts," the older blond replied. "But I'll live."

Omi smiled and nodded at Kate before asking Farfarello, “May I go and see Nagi-kun? It would be silly if Tsuki-kun and I were going over the same ground he is.”

"It would probably be a good idea," Farfarello told the teen as he turned to shove some fresh vegetables into the drawer of the fridge.

Aya chose that moment to return. “Jas doesn’t want any food. Do you need any help?”

“No thank you, Aya, Farfarello and I have lunch under control. Why don’t you sit down and keep us company if Jas wants to be on his own.”

Yohji made a point of looking directly at Aya. "Can someone get me another cup of coffee, please?"

Omi disappeared again, presumably in the direction of Nagi’s room while Aya made his way to the coffee-maker. “Anyone else want a drink?”

"I'm good," Farfarello replied.

Yohji watched Aya wondering if the coffee he was getting might actually be for him and feeling the bite of pain from the 'if only' coiled in his heart.

“Not for me thanks, Aya,” Kate said as she threw diced chicken into a sizzling wok and started to stir.

Aya made a pot of coffee, poured out a mug full and set it down in front of Yohji before sitting down opposite him.  
Jade eyes moved to Aya's face. Very softly Yohji said, "I meant it when I said I love you. That hasn't changed."

He picked up the cup and took a sip, wishing for the whiskey that his first cup contained. He took a sip, watching Aya over the rim of the cup.

Aya frowned but not at Yohji, rather at some inner thought. “I don’t know why you should. After that thing turned up I treated you very badly. I never treated you particularly well even before that. I don’t think I’m what you need in a lover, Yohji.” 

Yohji cradled the warm cup between his fingers. "Why does anyone fall in love, Aya? I've told you it's that cold killer and your beauty that drew me in." Yohji shrugged, "And no, you didn't treat any of us well, on the surface. But I'm not as blind as Ken. I've noticed what you've done, watching out for us all those years. And you're right, you aren't what I need in a lover, but you were who I wanted. The problem here is I'm not what you need and I can accept that."

Aya gazed intently at him and there was confusion in his eyes but also some hope. “Can you, Yohji? Enough to live under the same roof? Enough for us to remain friends?”

Yohji thought it over. Could he learn to live with Aya knowing that the man he loved was with someone else?

I guess I can deal with it. I've had a long line of break ups after all, and at least he didn't die.

"Yeah, sure Aya."

Kate added vegetables to the stir fry and smiled to herself. Now if Jas would just settle down to the fact that their team had grown by seven men they might just be able to stop fighting each other for long enough to use that energy on their common enemy.


	13. Chapter 13

Kei smiled at Tsuki, the man less pale than he'd been the day before, but still not completely himself either. "So do you have an answer for me, Tsuki?"

“You know I do. You also know what my only misgiving is. If you really believe I’m good enough for you then the answer is yes.”

Kei shook his head. "Tsuki, this isn't about what I believe. It never has been, it's about what you believe. So tell me, what do you believe Tsuki? Win or lose, succeed or fail, it's what you think you can do that matters."

Tsuki was confused, unsure what Kei was wanting from him. The man knew he could hack, knew he could kill, knew he could play a bass guitar with some skill, so what didn’t he know? “I think I can make you happy.”

Kei held a hand out making Tsuki the final offer. He could accept or walk out.

Tsuki took the proffered hand with no further hesitation. He had wanted this man for too long to offer any resistance. 

Kei didn't have his usual strength, but he could still haul the smaller man forward. A foot moved to take Tsuki off his feet. He landed on Kei's bed, the older man's mouth finding his in a heated kiss.

Tsuki gave into the kiss with a groan of pure lust. His arms went round Kei’s neck and his lips opened of their own accord. This was what he wanted, what he’d craved for so long, Kei to take control and make him his.

Kei slid his arms under Tsuki, ignoring the pain in his side he held Tsuki tight, kissing him, his tongue delving into Tsuki's heat. He wanted Tsuki, had known he wouldn't be happy until he had him.

And now that Tsuki had agreed to be his, he'd never let him go.

Never.

Tsuki clung on riding the storm of Kei’s passion, feeling the adrenaline produce the butterflies in his stomach that he so loved. Loved almost as much as the man who had spared his life only to claim it back again.

None of that mattered, this was where he belonged.

For all time. 

Kei wanted Tsuki. Not just to kiss and hold, he wanted all of him, and he wanted it now. He started to undress the younger man, kissing along every inch of skin he exposed, tasting the man he'd just claimed for his own. Tsuki who'd given himself to Kei willingly.

Tsuki arched as he was unwrapped like a present and warm lips caressed every bit of his skin, trailing down his neck, across his shoulders, down to suckle on his nipples before moving across his abdomen. 

He felt the heat rise in his face as he flushed with pleasure.

"I'm not at my best right now, Tsuki, but," Kei unbuttoned and pulled the zipper of Tsuki's pants down, "I have to have you." He pressed his face into the younger man's crotch, taking in the faint musk of desire the hardness under the thin barrier of Tsuki's underwear. He moaned softly, his own cock hard, pounding with the desire he had to bury himself in Tsuki, to fuck his new lover until Tsuki begged him for release.

“Take me, Kei, anyway you want me. I’m yours.” Tsuki gasped the words out as his desire grew.

Kei pulled Tsuki's pants off and threw them aside. He sat there looking at the younger man, eyes taking in the sleek beauty of his lover's body, the flushed cheeks and desire glazed eyes.

He pulled Tsuki's underwear off and threw it aside his own following. He was still bandaged, hurting, but that didn't matter. What he wanted, what he needed more than anything else was Tsuki.

"Under the pillow, there's a bottle of oil."

Tsuki reached under the pillow and felt around for a bottle. Finally finding it he pressed it into Kei’s hand as he opened his legs in welcome.

Kei shook his head and shoved the bottle back into Tsuki's hand. "I want to feel your hands on me, Tsuki."

Tsuki smiled and opened the bottle, pouring a generous amount into his hand before replacing the lid and putting the bottle back under the pillow. He coated both hands and reached eagerly for Kei’s cock. Once he had what he wanted in his hands he spread the oil marvelling at the silken feel of the skin over the solid hardness. 

He licked his lips in anticipation.

Kei had closed his eyes, the feel of someone's hand on him strange and wonderful after too long with only his own hand for company.

Instead of speaking he groaned softly, opened his eyes and leaned forward to claim Tsuki's lips in a blistering kiss.

It was now Tsuki’s turn to groan into the kiss. Kei’s lips were almost savage and yet he wouldn’t have it any other way. He was happy to give up all control to this man as he never had before. He wanted to feel owned, possessed, cherished.

Kei ended the kiss, his eyes hot with lust. He took a grip in Tsuki's hair, tipped his head to the side as if seeing the other man's face for the first time. "Mine," he stated. "Mine and no one else's, ever."

Tsuki’s blush deepened but he smiled. “Yours,” he whispered, “always.”

Kei's grip tightened. "You're sure? Once I've had you there will be no going back, no changing your mind." There was a hard edge to Kei's voice, but it wasn't anger. He wanted Tsuki, wanted to sink his hard flesh into the slim body, to feel Tsuki yield to his desire, to have the other man in his arms, gasping and begging for release.

“Yes, completely sure, completely yours to do with as you will.” Tsuki’s voice was soft, yielding, excited.

Kei pushed Tsuki to the bed, wiped a bit of the oil from his cock with his fingers and slipped one of them between Tsuki's butt cheeks and finding the tight hole, wiggling it, stretching the tight ring of muscle. "Remember this is what you wanted."

“I’ll remember.” But that was all Tsuki could say before delicious sensation took over and he writhed and arched under that teasing finger.

Seeing Tsuki's reaction Kei slipped a second finger into that exquisite tightness and thrust inward, his cock aching, throbbing with the desire to be in that flesh.

Tsuki gasped as his sweet spot was unerringly touched by the invading fingers. “Oh gods…Kei!” His breathing hitched and sped up coming out as pants and low moans.

Kei smiled and added a third finger, pushing harder, hitting the spot inside Tsuki twice before pulling his fingers free and lifting Tsuki's hips.

Tsuki’s legs wound round Kei’s waist as if they belonged there while his hands twisted in the sheets as his breath came in ragged gasps. He’d waited so long for this moment, waited so long for Kei to claim what was already his.

And Kei did, his cock sliding into Tsuki as the man leaned forward to kiss Tsuki, his tongue thrusting into the younger man's mouth as his cock slid past the tightness to find the embrace of hot flesh.

Tsuki’s hips came up to meet the hard shaft impaling him as he groaned around the tongue invading his mouth. This was heaven, this being claimed and possessed; this was what he’d been subconsciously searching for his whole life.

Kei couldn't believe he'd finally found someone who could accept his terms. Someone who dared take what he'd offered. This was what he'd waited for, what he'd always wanted.

More than that, it was what he needed.

Tsuki’s arms came off the bed to wrap round Kei’s neck as he surrendered completely to the older man.  
Kei kissed Tsuki's cheeks, his eyelids, his jaw and then returned to all but devour his lover's mouth, his cock slipping in and out of the younger man's blessed heat. He groaned, eyes closing, mind focused on nothing but the pleasure for a moment. Then he opened his eyes again to take in the beauty of the moment. The warm flush of colour rising on his lover's face, the soft lips as they parted in a moan. The way Tsuki's hair spread across the white sheets.

"Beautiful," he murmured and claimed Tsuki's mouth in another impassioned kiss.

Tsuki sighed softly into the kiss as he was stretched to his limit. The place inside of him that always made him see stars was unerringly stroked on every thrust and the pleasure built inside him until he wanted to scream out his joy. 

Kei calling him beautiful intensified things even further and he let himself be carried away on a tidal wave of passion.

This was good. Right. But not complete. Not quite perfect.

Kei ignored the pain in his side and rocked back on his heels, lifting Tsuki up and rolling his hips to drive his cock inside the younger man, his face pressing to Tsuki's shoulder, the sweet fragrance of the other man's shampoo and the scent of lust filling his senses.

He was getting closer to completion, felt the way the younger man's body was tensing, reaching the pinnacle and he reached between them and gripped the hard shaft of Tsuki's cock, stroking it fiercely as he drove himself into the hot flesh encasing his erection.

"Show me that you love me, Tsuki and come for me."

The sensory overload was all too much and Tsuki cried out Kei’s name as he came and continued to come as if he would never stop. His vision whited out and his body clamped down on the hard flesh impaling it and then all coherent thought fled. 

Kei thrust harder as Tsuki's flesh clamped down on his cock. "Tsuki, Tsuki," he moaned as he felt the hot cum spattering his hand. "So beautiful," he added his gaze on the other man's face before his own vision blanked out into a burst of brilliant white that burned over into red as he came.

All Tsuki could do was cling to Kei as he felt the warmth spread inside him. If it was this good when the man was wounded what would it be like when he was completely fit? Suddenly having an inkling of why Kei had been so adamant that he be sure about his decision he groaned softly. He knew he would be able to live with his decision for as long as they both stayed alive.

Kei held Tsuki close, breathing into the man's soft hair, his body shaking with reaction. It had been a long time since he'd felt such pleasure. Pleasure that made the pain in his heart fade to nothing and made him forget his injury. He held tighter to Tsuki, for a moment then he lay him down on the bed and gently licked away the semen on his lover's belly and from his own fingers.  
Tsuki writhed under the gentle touch of lips on his belly and his eyes widened as he watched Kei lick his cum from his hand. He took a deep, shuddering breath and rose up to kiss Kei again, tasting himself on those luscious lips.

Kei wanted more of Tsuki, wanted more of the sleek body, the willing heat. He returned the kiss, his arms going around the younger man possessively.

He broke the kiss, stared into the dark eyes. "Do you love me, Tsuki?"

Tsuki smiled at him. “With all my heart,” he said softly. “I would follow you to the ends of the earth, to hell and back simply because I love you that much.”

Kei held Tsuki tighter, pressed his face into the younger man's hair to hide the glitter of tears in his eyes. "I'll try to love you the way you deserve, Tsuki. I promise you, I'll try."

Tsuki heard the slight hitch in Kei’s voice, felt the dampness of tears in his hair and returned the embrace almost as fiercely. “No. Don’t change a thing about yourself for me. I love you the way you are.”

Kei kissed Tsuki's neck and shoulder as he caressed his lover's back. His lover. Finally, after so long, he had someone to love. Someone who would love him.

He kissed Tsuki again, then lay the younger man down in the bed. Sighing he lay down beside Tsuki and pulled him close. "I'm sorry," he murmured, "but I'm tired."

Kei closed his eyes and was quickly asleep.

Tsuki lay awake for some time, comfortable in Kei’s arms but concerned about the future. It would be just like that vicious jade called fate to get one or both of them killed now they had something to live for. He sighed and snuggled even closer. He would settle for what time they might have.

* * * * * * *

Yohji's eyes opened the instant his bedroom door did. He sat up and found himself staring at the glittering point of a katana, a pair of grey eyes regarding him from behind the deadly blade.

"I should just kill you," the other blond said in a tone soft as a lover's whisper but with an edge sharp as the blade he carried.

"Oh for fuck sakes," Yohji muttered. "Why in hell can't you just leave me alone?"

"You know why."

Yohji snorted. "Afraid I'll get him back from you, is that it?"

Jas shook his head. "This doesn’t have anything to do with Aya."

Yohji gave the other man a wry smile. "No? Then what?"

"You're no good for us, Kudoh. You're going to disrupt everything."

Yohji ran his left hand through his hair, dropped it in his lap, his right hand touching the watch, triggering the wire.

"Lie to yourself then. But we both know the truth." Yohji met the other blond's gaze, "So you've decided it's you or me, is that it?"

"Something like that," Jas replied.

NO! NO! Please, Jas don't! the ghost only he could see and hear screamed.

Too late.

The glittering thread of silver arched for Jas, but this time he was ready. The katana in his fist cut the wire as he lunged for the older man.

He was fast. Very fast.

But Yohji, after years of fighting with Schu, was even faster. He rolled off the bed evading the slashing blade and sent a series of fast coils of enmeshing wire that caught the blond swordsman.

"I don't want to do this, but you've left me no choice," Yohji said as he sent a thread of his power down the wire.

Jas' eyes went wide and he crumpled as something bit into his soul.

Kate picked up a thread of fear from Jas and frowned. There was nothing here for Jas to be afraid of and he’d never given off fear before anyway. Then she felt something strange, alien and cold, the same feeling she’d had when…

She raced for Yohji’s room reaching it just in time to see the dark glitter in his eyes as he stared down at Jas, helplessly entangled in his wire. 

“Yohji, don’t!”

Blackness that gave off an unnatural light danced down the tight wire around Jas' arm, the metal biting into skin.

The man known as Silence was wide eyed, horror filling his gaze as he felt the burning cold seeping into him, eating away at his life.

The man Brad had named Soulkiller was watching him without any trace of pity, no remorse, nothing.

Nothing until Kate came in, cried out her plea, and then something entered the emotionless stare of the jade-eyed killer.

But Yohji didn't let the wire go, nor did the coldness seeping into Jas' soul ease.

"Help me... Kate..." Jas whispered.

Kate made a grab for the wire only to snatch her hand back as the coldness burned it.

“Yohji, let him go! Now!” She glared at the Japanese man.

“If you don’t let him go I’ll kill you, Kudoh.” Aya’s deep voice came from the door. There was a slim pistol in one hand pointed unwaveringly at Yohji.

Yohji didn't let go of the wire. Instead he looked at Aya, his gaze cold as death. "He came to kill me, Aya. I was just returning the favour."

Jas was shaking, shivering as his life drained away through the touch of the wire.

A girl's ghost stepped into Yohji's view, manifesting so he could see her... somehow.

Please don't kill him! Please! she begged.

She was young. Just a child. Small hands reached out to Yohji. Please don't kill him.

Yohji looked from the death in Aya's hands, to Kate then back to the phantom child with hair pale as the man he was killing.

He let the wire go.

Kate let go of a breath she hadn’t realised she’d been holding. 

Aya lowered the gun and crossed the room to Jas’ side. He loosened the wire and glared at his lover. “Just leave him the fuck alone, Jas. He’s easy enough to get along with if you don’t piss him off.” Then he turned his cold gaze on Yohji. “What exactly were you doing to him? The wire wasn’t tight enough to kill yet I felt something murderous from you.”

"My talent," Yohji replied as he got back into bed. "Brad said my codename with them was Soulkiller."

“And you got angry enough to turn it on one of your own team?”

Kate stepped closer to the bed. “In fairness I’m guessing Yohji was acting in self defence.”

“He’d snared Jas that was enough for self defence!”

Jas looked from Kate to Aya, dazed and in shock, shivering and cold to the centre of his bones. Or maybe it was his soul that was chilled.

"I don't think he brought that with him as friendly gesture," Yohji said and motioned at the katana on the floor. "He came here to kill me, Aya, but I guess that would have been more convenient for everyone."

He pulled the blanket over him. "If he ever threatens me again, I'll kill him. So get him out of here Aya."

“Don’t try to be a bigger fool than you already are, Kudoh. How long do you think you’d survive him if you did kill him?” Aya’s tone was scathing but then he turned to gaze at Jas. He helped the blond to his feet and supported him to the door, muttering that he’d say what he had to say to him later and in private.

When they’d gone Kate cocked her head to one side as she regarded Yohji. “Are you feeling suicidal again?”

“No, but Silence seems to be suffering from it at the moment. He came in here to kill me, Kate. But," he shrugged, "that seems to be acceptable to Aya and you. I'll keep that in mind next time and just let him kill me since everyone seems to think I'm at fault here."

“That’s no more acceptable than you killing him would be, at least not to me.” She sighed. “I don’t know why he sees you as such a threat to him but he’s got to stop trying to kill you and you’ve got to stop trying to kill him.”

“I'm not trying to kill him or he'd be dead," Yohji countered sharply then relented and sat with his shoulders slumped. "If you'll notice I was asleep when he came in here, so maybe you should be asking him all these questions because I don't know what the fuck his problem is with me."

He rubbed his chin, scratching at the pale stubble forming there. "Unless this has something to do with those RK telepathic bastards and their mental tampering." He looked up at her. "Maybe a preset group of behaviours, like 'Hate him, kill him' or something like that."

Kate’s eyes widened. “Of course,” she said. “Schuldig still isn’t his normal self according to Nagi and I doubt if you are either.” She smiled suddenly. “If that is the case we can probably do something about it if Aya is prepared to help.”

"I won't count on any help from Aya," Yohji told her as he lay down and closed his eyes. "I'll be okay. At least I understand where these feelings are coming from now. I'll try to ignore them."

Kate frowned at him. “Why do men always have to be stubborn martyrs?” The question was totally rhetorical. “Okay, I’ll go and face the pair of them alone!” She turned to leave.

"Kate?"

“Yes?”

"Maybe when things have settled down we can try some kissing again."

“Maybe, as long as I’m not second or third choice.” She turned back to look at him. “I’ll be back in a few minutes so don’t go wandering off.” Then she was heading down the stairs to Jas and Aya’s domain.

The sound of Aya’s deep voice calling Jas forty different kinds of fool greeted her and she had to smile to herself before knocking on the door to Jas’ room.

"Go the fuck away!" Jas snapped from the other side of the door. "Kudoh can't be trusted! I'm sorry, but he's got to die, Aya!"

“If he couldn’t be trusted you’d be dead right now, Jas. I’ve worked with Kudoh for enough years to know just how fast he is and how deadly with the harigane and with this other power that he has he could easily have killed you.”

That was good, Kate decided, at least Aya seemed to be thinking straight.

"That was before he turned to Schwarz wasn't it?" Jas countered. "He's probably biding his time like the rest of those bastards. Just waiting to kill us when they don't need us anymore."

That was enough and Kate opened the door so hard and fast it almost came off its hinges. She ignored Jas as she spoke directly to Aya. “Did I hear the story correctly that Jas attempted to kill Kei but was prevented from doing so by Farfarello?”

“Yes, either Berger or Mindwarp got into his head somehow. Why?”

“It just seems to me that everyone who was touched by one of those telepaths is acting strangely. Yohji, Jas, Aki, Issei, Schuldig. None of them are acting the way they would normally act.”

Aya frowned before rising to his feet. “You’re right about Schuldig and Yohji certainly.”

Jas could see the phantom arms of his sister around him. Incorporeal tears slid down her cheeks. Please Jas, stop this. You aren't yourself. Please listen to Kate and Aya. That man did something to your mind. You know he did. You'd never hurt Kei, yet you tried to kill him. Don't let them destroy you, Jas. Please snap out of it.

Distressed grey eyes regarded the other two assassins. "She's right... I'm..." he closed his eyes, "I'm not myself. My sister even says something is wrong."

Kate glanced at Aya. “Is there anyway we can deal with the tampering or whatever it is?”

Aya sighed. “I wish I knew. I know I have this talent but I’ve never trained it so I wouldn’t know what I was looking for.”

"Schuldig would know," Farfarello said from behind them. "But the fact remains that he's acting strangely, so it's possible he might be tampered with in ways that will prevent him from being of any use." He gave Kate a slight smile. "It's amazing what one can hear through the air conditioning vents."

Kate returned the smile. She was beginning to really like the psychotic member of Schwarz.

“Maybe we should ask him,” Aya suggested. “He was very happy to see Berger dealt with so he might explain the idea at least.”

Farfarello motioned for them to follow him and headed toward the stairs. "Bring Jas, he shouldn't be left alone."

As Kate followed Farfarello, Aya turned to regard Jas solemnly. “Will you let us help you?”

Jas nodded. "My sister says something's been done to me. And I..." he shook his head, "I feel wrong."

Aya had to wonder if Jas would feel the same way about him once his mind was no longer tampered with but there was only one way to find out and besides he couldn’t allow him and Kudoh to kill each other. “Come on then.”

Kate suggested to Farfarello that he ask Schuldig to come to Yohji’s room rather than make the blond walk on his ankle if unnecessary.

"I'll get him," Farfarello replied and headed off to get Schuldig and Nagi, just in case the programmed behaviour was set to fight removal.

Aya eyed the blond ex-Weiss with some wariness as he and Jas entered the room behind Kate. He really didn’t want to have to keep the two killers from turning on each other again.

"Why is it my room has to be the meeting area?" Yohji asked as he sat up to regard the people who'd just come in.

“Because I don’t want you hobbling around on that damned ankle,” Kate snapped, “now shut up and listen. You’re not right, Jas isn’t right, Schuldig isn’t right… do I have to go right through the list? We need to try and sort that out before those RK bastards succeed in making us kill each other before we can kill them.”

"I just wanted a reason, Kate. I'm not arguing," Yohji told her as Farfarello joined them.

“Did you find them?” Kate asked him, ignoring Yohji’s apparent sweet reason.

“Ja, he found us,” Schuldig said as he followed Farfarello into the room. He glanced at Aya and sighed. “You don’t know what to look for and I can’t even keep my damned shields up so I don’t know how well we’re going to do.”  
Yohji patted the bed, "Come here, Schu. I'll protect you from the voices."

Jas was by the door making no effort to get any closer to Yohji.

“Nein, actually you won’t. Aya will have to do it if he’s willing.” He glanced at Jas next then nodded to himself. “Okay. The way I see it is this. Aya, you shield me so I can go into their minds and try and sort out the mess. While you’re doing that you learn from what I do then you help me.”

Yohji nodded. "Makes sense to me."

Jas closed his eyes. "Aya, you have to help me. I... want to kill both of them," he admitted softly.

Aya nodded his agreement before asking what he was supposed to do. 

“You simply shield me and observe,” Schuldig told him. “Nagi is here in case we can’t sort out the tampering without problems. I think we deal with your blond first.”

Aya spread his shields to include Schuldig and found himself being drawn inexorably into his lover’s mind. They were met by a young girl.

Help him, please. He doesn't know what he's doing. That horrible man did something to his mind and... Jason isn’t himself at all, the ghost told them.

Jas reached for Aya, the ghostly image of his sister super imposed over the man.

And Aya held both of them, spreading his shields to cover them all as he travelled through Jas’ mind with Schuldig.

*Interesting mind,* Schuldig commented almost to himself, *not nearly as cold as I thought it would be.*

He glanced round seeing nothing untoward. *Where is the problem?* he asked the girl.

You've already found it. Jas is cold as a blizzard. They've tampered with him emotionally, and under the layer of emotion is the rest of what they've done, she told them.

Schuldig shuddered. *This is not going to be easy, katzchen. I’m going to need your help.*

*What do I need to do? And don’t call me katzchen!*

*You need to be the focus for all his warm feelings while I find what’s underneath.*

Aya thought about how he could do that and suddenly smiled at the ghost of Jas’ sister. 

The mind around Schuldig grew colder as all the warm emotion was directed at Aya and the little girl. Then he saw it. It was like a tape loop repeating over and over again *Kudoh and the Irish madman are dangerous. They need to die.* It was subliminal but would eventually drive the man mad if he didn’t obey it. 

Schuldig took great pleasure in breaking the loop.

*Okay let’s get out of here.* Silence’s mind really was chilly.

Jas blinked, shook his head as if trying to rid himself of something then he starred at Aya for a moment before his fist flew at the red-head's face.

Aya’s years of avoiding SD bullets, Brad Crawford’s fists, Farfarello’s knife and countless weapon-wielding thugs stood him in good stead and he dodged the blow. “We haven’t got time for this right now. If you want a fight I’ll meet you downstairs later!”

“You...bastard!" Jas snarled. He would have tried for Aya again but Yohji's hand closing on his wrist stopped him.

The pair of blonds stared at one another for an instant, then Jas tried to wrench his wrist from Yohji's grip. Tried and failed.

"Don't hit him. It was what you wanted at the time and there's no one to blame," Yohji told him, then let go.

Jas stood there staring at the other blond, then he nodded, glanced at Aya, face turning bright red before he fled the room.

Yohji smiled. "He seems spooked over what he did. Probably scares him to realize he's human." He raised an eyebrow at Aya, "Not that he reminds me of anyone or anything," he was quick to remark.

“Shut up, Kudoh. It’s your turn now.”

"Yeah sure, Schuldig. The sooner the better." He scooted closer to the pair of men. "Ready anytime you are."

Again Aya shielded Schuldig and was drawn into Yohji’s mind. He shuddered at the warmth in there after the cool of Jas’ mind and was humbled by the almost desperate love for him.

*That’s not all real. Oh it’s there but it shouldn’t be this strong or all consuming. Ack! I see he’s supposed to kill himself. Rosenkreuz really didn’t know what they were trying to destroy.*

The mental Schuldig searched carefully and found a small spark of something that wasn’t a desperate need to be loved by Aya or Crawford and ‘blew’ on it, encouraging it to grow.

*What are you doing?*

*Encouraging Yohji’s strength and inherent love of women to grow. I’m guessing they’ve used twisted emotions in all those they’ve controlled including me.*

The little spark was growing into a small fire that was using the overwhelming emotions as its fuel. *That should do it. Do you want to see if Akira and Issei need help before attempting my mind?*

*Didn’t they achieve what they wanted with those two?*

*Possibly, possibly not. I know there was more to it than just killing their team mate as they used my mind to do it.*

He withdrew them from Yohji’s mind.

Yohji sat there staring at nothing, then he blinked and looked around as if seeing the place for the first time. He looked at his own wire scared hands for a moment then shook his head. "They wanted to destroy us, but they've failed."

He looked at Schuldig. "Don't worry about Brad. He's strong and we'll get him back."

“Ja. I’m beginning to believe so.” He turned to Aya. “So, you want to help those other two now?”

Aya nodded.

* * * * * * *

Jas spun, the blade in his hand singing through the air as it moved, the steel a blur as he turned, slashed, thrust and spun once more, killing his many attackers with fluid movements as he neared the end of the kata.

He'd needed to blank his mind. Needed to focus on anything but the memory of the red-haired Weiss making love to him.

With him.

He'd been a willing participant.

But that hadn't really been him. That had been the programming implanted by the RK telepath.

Hadn't it?

Aya came down the stairs, mentally tired after helping Schuldig to first help Issei and Akira and then sorting out the mess in the other telepath’s mind. The original, sarcastic and arrogant Schuldig was back with a vengeance much to Farfarello’s delight. Nagi hadn’t seemed quite so happy.  
He watched silently as Jas flowed through his katas wondering if there was a spare room for him upstairs as it was unlikely he’d be welcome down here anymore.

He entered the bedroom and started gathering up his few pitiful belongings.

Jas saw Aya go into his bedroom and the sweep of the katana slowed, stopped as he remembered what they'd done in there.

What they'd done here on the mats of the dojo.

He swallowed, felt the flesh between his thighs stir, harden.

His hand closed tightly on the hilt of the katana, so tight his knuckles went white.

Trembling he stalked toward his bedroom, stopping in the doorway, the sword's hilt locked in a death grip in his fist.

"What are you doing in here?" he asked, then felt stupid because it was very apparent what the other man was doing.

He was packing the few things he had.

“Well it seems quite obvious that I’m no longer welcome here so I’m moving upstairs if there’s a spare room available.”

Aya finished his packing and turned to gaze at Jas. He felt his body respond and cursed himself for a fool. Silence was back to normal and no longer wanted him.

“Did you still want to hit me?”

The icy grey eyes regarded Aya for a brief moment, then he lunged, the katana coming up high before starting its sweeping arc downward.

Aya dropped his bag and dodged the blow by somersaulting across the bed to grab his own katana. His eyes had narrowed, knowing they weren’t sparring this time.

Jas didn't wait for Aya to get ready; he was after the former Weiss, his katana slicing through the air.

Aya drew his katana and dropped the saya darting to one side to narrowly avoid a sweeping strike.

Following the other man, Jas' katana reversed directions seeking flesh.

Aya blocked every move before going on the offensive. He had the advantage of not being angry so was able to read Jas’ intent.

Jas evaded Aya's attack, stepped back to get more room, and launched his own counter offensive, their blades sweeping through the air.

Aya moved forward using some of his less orthodox moves.

Jas backed out of Aya's reach, ducking under the other man's katana, jumping aside from a vicious cut. He was forced to block using his katana when he found himself with his back to the wall with no where to go, no way to evade the deadly length of steel.

He was good. But Aya was better.

With a supple and fluid flick of his wrist Aya disarmed Jas and held the point of his katana over the other man’s heart. Then he let the katana drop to his side.

“You won’t kill me while you’re so angry.”

Jas grabbed Aya.

And Aya pulled him closer and kissed him. 

The blond tensed, started to pull away but with the wall behind him he had no where to go.

No where except forward.

His fist drove for Aya's stomach.

But Aya wasn’t there having let him go and was backing away. “I’m sorry. I thought whatever we had actually meant something. I won’t bother you again.”

Jas was staring at him, breath coming in ragged gasps, his eyes wide and wild. "I remember it but... it's like it happened to someone else."

“In a way I guess it did. That damned telepath hid his real intent under a blanket of false emotion.” He shrugged. “And I was dumb enough to believe it was you.”

Jas' hand closed in Aya's shirt, the blond pulling Aya closer, his lips touching Aya's then moulding to them as if they were meant for one another.

Aya’s arms went round the other man automatically as he returned the kiss, something painful easing inside of him.

The blond broke the kiss and stared at Aya. "You really wanted me? It wasn't something implanted in your mind?"

“No telepath has ever been able to get in my mind unless I’ve allowed them to so nothing was implanted in my mind. I really wanted you. I still do.”

Jas wrapped his arms around Aya, hands gripping the other man's behind he pulled Aya closer so that the former Weiss could feel the hardness of his erection.

"I think I must want you too, despite the fact my mind is clear of their influence now."  
“Then why were you trying to kill me?”

"Because this is hard for me, this wanting someone." He pulled away and got some distance between them. His back was to Aya as he said, "I'm still not sure it's really me, not completely. I mean maybe they did something that won't go away, or..." he sat down cross legged on the floor, "I don't know."

“I’m having the same problem to be honest. For years I didn’t want anyone at all. Oh I fantasised about Kudoh from time to time but he’s ninety-nine percent straight. Then I came across you and I couldn’t control the need. It scared the shit out of me. It still does. People like us, we shouldn’t get attached to others. We don’t have that luxury.”

Jas turned around and looked up at Aya. "And I can understand why he wants you. You're a beauty, so graceful and yet cold as a glacial wind when you fight. How could a man-- even one that's mostly straight-- not want you?"

Aya smiled slightly and sat on the futon. “I think that’s just answered your own question. It does seem to be you and, whether I like it or not, it’s me too. That iciness of yours covers fire on occasion and I keep craving its warmth.”

"Kudoh has more warmth than I do." Jas crawled toward Aya and sat down beside him on the futon. "He'd take you back if you made the first move, I'd set odds on that."

Aya didn’t answer for a moment as he thought back to what the clone Crawford had nearly achieved with his interruption. He thought about late nights over coffee in the Koneko’s kitchen sharing each other’s pain. Then he shook his head.

“Yohji and I work as team mates, maybe even as friends if the clone didn’t completely fuck that up. But if we were any closer than that we’d end up killing each other. His smoking alone pisses me off.”

Jas nodded. "It will piss Kei off too, so he won't be smoking very long," Jas informed the red head. "or getting drunk or womanizing. Kei runs a tight team, he doesn’t like things that can create problems."

"And I don't normally talk like this, I'm just trying to distract myself from the fact that my cock is hard because of you."

“You think mine isn’t?” Aya sighed. “Whenever I’m near you… fuck I only have to see you…”

"So what are we going to do about it?" Jas asked, his voice barely more than a whisper. "We're team mates now, doesn't that mean we should keep our distance?"

“It’s never stopped Ken and Omi, or Farfarello and Naoe from what I’ve seen. And there is nobody else.”

"They weren't part of Kei's team either, and the Schwarz won't be once Crawford is back." Jas couldn't help himself, he set his hand on Aya's thigh, felt the firm muscle beneath his fingers and palm and felt a flash of heat burning through him.

Lust, pure and simple lust.

“I can’t see Kei trying to split them up, especially when he looks at your hacker the way he does.” Aya turned to look at Jas. “We’re killers but does that really mean we have to deny ourselves human comfort and companionship? Shit! I’m beginning to sound like Kudoh!”

Jas watched the motion of Aya's lips as he talked, all too aware of what those lips felt like when they kissed him.

He leaned closer, "Killers deserve nothing," he murmured as his lips brushed Aya's. "That's what makes finding someone who understands the loneliness and isolation a rare find."

“Only another killer can,” Aya murmured against Jas’ lips. Then he put his arms around the other man and deepened the kiss.

Jas lay back on the futon, his arms around Aya, the red-head on top of him felt good. It felt right, just the way it had when he'd been under the influence of the bastard RK telepath.

But this time it was different, there wasn't anything directing his actions but his own desire. He wanted Aya. Wanted to feel the other man's cock inside him.

Aya groaned softly into the kiss as he pressed his body against Jas. 

Jas broke the kiss, his breath ragged, eyes bright with desire. "Kissing is good, but I want your cock in me, Aya."

There was the sound of a delicately cleared throat from the doorway. “Sorry guys, but Kei wants everyone in the living room right now.”

Aya rolled off Jas to glare at Tsuki. “His timing stinks!”

Jas glared at Tsuki. "Tell him we'll be up in a half hour," Jas said as he reached to pull Aya back down.

“No chance,” Tsuki said firmly. “You want to come up in half an hour when the man says immediately you explain why!”

"Shit," Jas muttered and got to his feet. "Kei's timing really sucks!"

Tsuki chuckled. “At least there’s tea, coffee and refreshments.” Then he turned and went back upstairs.

Aya climbed to his feet and gave Jas a quick kiss. “Later,” he promised.  
"Like I give a shit about refreshments when I almost had a cock in my ass," Jas snarled at Tsuki's retreating form.

All Tsuki did was turn his head and shrug. “Maybe if you spent less time fighting and more time fucking you’d have already had it.”

"Oh and suddenly you're an expert!" Jas shot back.

“On the subject of fucking, more of an expert than you! Now get moving.”

"And suddenly you think you're Kei? I'm not taking any shit from you, Tsuki! I'll be up when I feel like it!"

“Suit yourself. I’ve given you his request.” And then Tsuki continued up the stairs.

Aya hid a smile behind his hand as he went to follow the hacker.

"Aya?"

“Yeah?”

"I want you."

“I want you too but we’d better do what Kei wants.”

"Kei's always had the worst timing." Jas sighed and relented, following Aya up the stairs.

Everyone was gathered in the sitting room, drinking tea or coffee and obviously waiting for Jas and Aya to join them.

Jas had a sullen expression on his face as he took a place against the wall.

Yohji glanced from Jas to Aya then back and then turned his attention back to his cup of coffee.

Farfarello nodded to Aya and picked up a glass of juice, taking a sip and waiting for Kei to get the meeting underway.

Aya returned the nod, glanced at Yohji, picked up a bowl of tea and went to join Jas by the wall.

Kei pulled the pillow at his back into a more comfortable position and took a sip of his tea. "First on the agenda is discussing what our computer team has discovered. Do we have a firm location on Crawford's whereabouts?"

“Schuldig told us that he’s being held in a place called the Schloss Horst,” Tsuki began, “apparently it’s where the Essett Elders used to live. It’s stuck on the top of a mountain near the German border in the Austrian part of the old Bavarian kingdom. There’s a secured basement area hollowed out of the mountain as well as the living area. The basement seems to be yet another of their research facilities.”

Nagi took up the tale. “I hacked into the Rosenkreuz databases to find out what research was being done where and it bore out Brad’s belief that the Schloss Horst is where he is. It’s the facility they’re using for cloning. There are other facilities scattered through Germany and Austria that also need to be taken out if possible.”

Omi spread floor plans out in the table. “These are the floor plans of the Schloss Horst and we also got floor plans for all the other research facilities and the school and HQ.”

Kei leaned forward to look at the floor plans, but quickly gave up. He'd enjoyed making love with Tsuki, but now he was paying the price with more pain. "Anyone familiar with the sort of opposition we will encounter at the Schloss?"

Schuldig shrugged. “It’s hard to say if anyone will be there apart from the research staff and a few dozen guards. If they’ve moved any of the Rosenkreuz hierarchy in then expect a lot more guards.”

"That can make things a little more difficult," Kei mused. "Not impossible. We'll just have to go in expecting the worst." He looked at Schuldig, "So brief us on what we might run into. What teams of theirs are left, what are the leader's powers like and how can we overcome them?"

“There’s still Phantasm from Terror who will want payback for the destruction of his team. The Horsemen, couple of powerful pyros in the forms of Geisl and Schroeder, we’re pretty certain they only have one good telekinetic and she’s half crazy. But they could have more at the school. As for the leaders…” He turned to Farfarello. “You tell him.”

"The new leaders since the death of the Elders are the Consortium of Five. Brand is another pyro, a powerful one. There is Wasser, an empath, she can read just about anyone's emotional state. Luft is a telepath, probably even stronger than Schuldig, though I've never seen any proof of that. There is Erde, a telekinetic, but she's not in the same league as Nagi. And Shicksal, a precog. He's good, very good." Farfarello frowned. "Which makes me wonder--" he glanced at Schuldig, "Because he's good enough to have known Brad would contact us at the first chance he had. So that might have been a planned lure to draw us in."

Schuldig shook his head. “No, Brad ran rings round him for years. It really pissed him off. My guess is the five of them will be at the school but we will need Aya’s shields when we get to Austria or the bastard might well read our intent. Shicksal is good but not quite at Brad’s level. We were rather special Farf which is why, once we found Nagi, we were able to break away. Still needed Weiss to help us take on the elders though.”

"There is also Jas and his sister," Kei pointed out. "So, do you think we have a chance of going up against them if they are there and being successful in destroying them?"

“With Weiss we defeated the elders, with your team as well… ja, it’s possible.”

“There’s also the fact that two of what were Weiss can now use their powers,” Aya said quietly, “which we couldn’t when faced with the elders.”

Yohji shifted his position, moving his foot on the pillow where it rested. "Brad was of the opinion that my power probably disturbs them. And I discovered quite by accident the other day that I can run it down my wire."

Kate’s brows rose at that but she said nothing about it, instead commenting, “we’re good but we need to check on normal security as well. Or do they rely solely on their powers?”

“No, they have high tech security at all their facilities,” Tsuki told her. “For supposedly powerful people they’re remarkably paranoid.” He smiled suddenly. “Although they haven’t managed to come up with anything that Omi, Nagi and I can’t handle.”

"You're sure of that?" Kei asked. "I don't want anyone being so over confident that there are mistakes made."

“We checked all the security systems at each facility over and over,” Omi said. “What we can’t disable can be dealt with easily by using powder. If you know a laser beam is there you can avoid it.”

Kei nodded. "So we wait for Yohji's ankle to heal. Meanwhile I expect the rest of us to practice working as a team."

“How do you want to go about that?” Issei asked.

"I'm sure Kate and Jas can handle setting up some practice sessions. I'm not in any condition to do much yet." Kei motioned to Tsuki, "Help me back to bed."

Tsuki rose to his feet immediately and helped Kei back to his room. 

Schuldig took a closer look at the ground plans that Omi had placed on the table. Only the one entrance, reached by a steep trudge up a mountain, and a private cable car. “Are you sure we can get in here?” he asked Omi.

Omi just stared at him for a moment but then relented and nodded. “We can get in. Trust me on that.”

Yohji nodded, "We've gotten into places that steep." He looked at Aya. "Remember going after those guys who were hunting people? That was some steep terrain, but we'll need somewhere to train for a climb like that, and I don't think this island will work since most of it is barely over sea level."

Omi grinned at him. “Not if we take the cable car.”

Aya stared from him to Nagi and back again. Neither of them looked crazy. 

Yohji raised one golden eyebrow at the two younger men. "And how do you propose to do that?"

Farfarello grinned. "They'll hack the computer that runs it."

Nagi nodded and smiled at his lover. “That’s right. And according to all that we’ve found the cable car station is virtually unguarded unlike the gate.”

"Achilles heel located," Akira said as he watched Kei and Tsuki make their slow way down the hall. When they were well out of earshot he said, "Was it me or does Kei look bad?"

“He looks a lot better than he did,” Kate said with a frown, “but as usual he’s pushing himself far too hard. Also I’m not sure he’s let anyone see his wounds since he decided to leave the hospital.” She sighed. “Short of knocking him out and taking him back there I don’t know what to do.”

"Tsuki's his lover, right?" Yohji asked. "Have him convince Mr. Stubborn to let someone look at that gunshot. Or have him appeal to Kei's common sense. A man that doesn't have the sense to let himself heal has no business leading us."

Farfarello turned to regard Yohji. "This from someone who won't stay off a broken ankle."

Yohji shrugged, "I'm also not giving the orders around here."

“I’ll try to talk some sense into him,” Kate said with a sigh. “Jas, can you get everyone training please?”

"I think what he wants is for us to get used to relying on one another and to use our powers in conjunction. But that's just my guess," Yohji said as he put his cup down on the table.

“And just how would you suggest we do that?” Aya asked.

"Oh, I don't know, maybe we go outside and work out things we can do to protect one another or make our ability to kill more effective," Yohji answered.

Farfarello glanced at Nagi. "Prodigy can shield us from physical attacks pretty effectively. I imagine you can protect us from mental attacks."

“That seems to be the case, yes,” Aya agreed. “Defensively we should be pretty tight.” He eyed the Schwarz psychopath with new respect. “What ideas have you got for using our powers offensively in conjunction?”

Farfarello eyed Yohji. "If Kudoh can send his killing power down the wire, then I can think of any number of ways he can make use of that. As for you," Farfarello looked thoughtful, "if you're power is anything like Schuldig's you can use your telepathy to tamper with the thoughts of others. If not, then we need to discover what hidden capabilities you do have, because no telepath we've ever encountered of your level has only one aspect to their power."

"He might be insane, but he's damned clever," Ken remarked.

Farf turned a wicked grin on the ex-soccer player. "I'm no crazier than you are."

Ken frowned. "Well that in and of itself is a frightening thought."

“What’s even more frightening, Hidaka is that we don’t know what your power is yet,” Schuldig said sweetly. “The idea of you with any talent at all scares the shit out of me!”

Ken glared at Schuldig. "Yeah well the thought of you living in the same house with me makes me want to take lots of showers to make sure the slime from you doesn't stick!"

Yohji covered his face with his hand. "Boys can you just play nice for a little while longer?"

“The fact remains, Yohji that we do have to find out what he can do before we go up against Rosenkreuz. If his power manifests at the wrong time he could get us all killed.”

“Wait a minute,” Omi said. “What power? Ken-kun doesn’t have any power.”

Yohji still had his hand over his face. "Yes he does Omi."

"Come off of it Yohji. You aren't even drunk so you've got no excuse for lying. You know I've got no power," Ken argued but he didn't look so certain.

"He's telling you the truth. Brad knew, but he wouldn't tell us," Farfarello told them.

“Well, I hate to admit it,” Aya said, “but if that is the case I have to agree with Schuldig. The sooner we find out what the hell it is the better.”

"Don't worry about it, Brad told me what he can do." Yohji wasn't sure he should tell them, but if he didn't Ken would never work it out for himself. And there was the risk he might stumble on it by accident and hurt one of them.

"Yeah right," Ken snorted.

"You're a biokinetic, okay!" Yohji snapped. "Not that you even fucking know what that means."

"Now who's not playing nice?" Farfarello remarked.

Schuldig’s brows rose. “No wonder Brad wanted you kitties. Biokinetics have to be one of the rarest of talents.”  
“If he’s a biokinetic he should be able to sort out your ankle,” Nagi said to Yohji. “Why not let him try?”

"Don't think that biokinetic means healing only," Farfarello commented. "Keep in mind that, technically, RK has me listed as a biokinetic."

"He's right." Yohji stated. "Because Ken's untrained there's as much chance he will melt my bones as there is he will heal them."

Ken sat there staring at the trio of men who were talking about him as if he weren't even there.

"So he's a biokinetic. What does that mean, exactly?" Akira wanted to know.

"Potential healer, or a fucking deadly killer," Jas replied.

“He’s that without being a biokinetic,” Aya said. He glanced at Schuldig and Farfarello. “Is there any way he can practice without damaging someone?”

The Irishman thought about it. "Animals is how they do it at RK, but I'm not sure you'd like how that was done."

“No I wouldn’t,” Aya said, “but if there is no other way…”

"Um, guys, really, I don't think I have any power. I mean you knew what you were all this time, right Aya?" Ken said.

"It's not the same for us, Ken,' Yohji explained. "We gained our powers from crap we were exposed to in Masafumi’s lab. Aya had them to start with."

“So why didn’t I get any?” Omi asked. “I mean I cut my leg open on something when Schrient lured us there.” He shot an apologetic look at Yohji as he mentioned that.

"I'm not sure. Brad probably knows," Yohji told the younger man. "But maybe that's the answer. You got cut, neither Ken nor I did."

“That doesn’t solve the problem of how he’s going to practice,” Issei pointed out.

"Look, Brad didn't even want me to tell him about it in the first place," Yohji replied. "I think he was trying to figure out some way to tell Ken about it but all this shit happened before he could," Yohji told them. "And unless you have some way to let him practice that doesn't involve mauling animals, natives, or me, then I have no idea how he can."

Omi was staring from one to another of them, his blue eyes full of bitterness. “I feel like a waste of space.”

Ken put his arm around Omi, "Don't say that. You aren't a waste of space. I love you."

Yohji frowned. "Great, I get my head screwed back on straight," he glanced at Aya, "and now you're coming apart. Omi, don't do this to yourself. Ken's right, you're loved and you are a valuable member of the team. Hackers as good as you aren't that common."

“There are three of us here,” Omi pointed out, “and Tsuki is better than either Nagi or I.”

Issei shrugged. “We all have our own skills. I can’t hack but I don’t feel like a waste of space.”

Omi shook his head. “Don’t mind me. It’s just the shock of finding out so much new stuff about guys I consider my family.”

Yohji sighed. "Omi, Ken didn't even know. Hell if Brad hadn't explained what was happening to me I wouldn't have had a fucking clue."

"It's not any easier for me, Omi," Ken remarked. "I mean we got all sorts of crap on us in that lab, who the hell knows what it might have done to us." The former soccer player looked at Aya. "Did it do anything to you? I know you said you were always, well you know, but did it alter you somehow?"

Yohji leaned forward and picked up his cup, carefully averting his gaze from the red-haired man.

“Not as far as I’m aware,” Aya said with a shrug. 

Schuldig was pacing. “He might as well be a mundane for all the use his talent is without practice.”

"True," Yohji agreed. "But I haven't had much practice either, have I Schuldig?"

"Would raw meat work for Ken to practice on?" Aki questioned. "Or maybe a whole fish from the market?"

Nagi’s eyes widened as he stared at the explosives expert. “It’s certainly worth a try. What do you think, Farf?”

Berserker studied the point of a knife he'd been toying with. "It's worth a try."

“We got some fresh fish in this morning,” Kate said. “Let’s take this to the kitchen.”

Ken followed her into the kitchen.

Everyone else stayed where they were for various different reasons that ranged from squeamishness to self-preservation to sheer indifference.

A sudden squeal from Kate and the wet slapping sounds of a fish out of water assailed their ears.

"Catch it!" Ken yelled.

There was a crash from the kitchen that sounded like a chair going over, which was followed by what sounded suspiciously like a few pots hitting the floor.

Yohji nodded, a pleased look on his face. "I'd guess the test went..." he smirked, "swimmingly."

Aki stared at the blond. "Oh, Balinese how could you?"

The blond shrugged. "A little punishment never hurt anyone."

Aki covered his face with his palm. "How long did you put up with that, Omi-kun?"

Omi grimaced. “So far, about three years of him, and five of Ken-kun. Aya-kun is no trouble at all.”

There was the unmistakable wet thwack of a cleaver going through fish then silence from the kitchen. 

“I think I’ve just lost my appetite if fish is on today’s menu,” Nagi said, looking a little green round the gills himself.

"Would you rather Ken tried on Yohji and melted his foot off?" Farfarello asked. He put his arm around Nagi, "You've seen far worse, Nagi. Masafumi's lab for one thing."

Schuldig chuckled suddenly. “And all that idiot needed was Hidaka in order to be resurrected!”

“Or me,” Nagi said quietly.

Yohji looked at Nagi. "What?"

Nagi sighed. “Tot isn’t dead. She’s living in a home for the mentally deficient in Nagasaki.”

Yohji remembered the fragile blossom of love he'd seen between the crazed girl and Nagi. He thought it better to drop the whole thing but had to ask one last question. "So if you can bring back the dead, why hasn't Brad ever made use of it..."

He blinked. "Holy shit... that's it. That's why he told us to just kill him. He knows you or Ken can save him."

“You saw the damage I did to both the mansion and myself when I did that. I was in a coma for over a week after that. That’s why Brad never attempted to make use of it.”

Kate came back in the room then. “You’ll probably be pleased to hear that I’ve asked the chef not to cook fish today.”  
Farfarello gave Nagi a hug, "See nothing to worry about. No fish for dinner."

Yohji smiled at Kate. "Well what about shrimp? I love fried shrimp."

Ken joined them. "Shrimp? I thought Italian would be good but I guess we've got some limits on food choices here."

"We might have enough stuff for spaghetti," Aki said and gave Kate a questioning look.

“I’ll tell the chef we want something with shrimp and pasta, how’s that?” Kate headed back towards the kitchen.

Omi gazed at Ken. “So do you think you can fix Yohji-kun’s ankle now?”

"I... umm... think I should practice more," Ken told his lover. "A fish isn't a human being and I'd hate to fuck up and do something wrong."

"I'd hate it too," Yohji stated. "And that sounds okay, Kate." 

Kate turned her head enough to give him a smile before leaving the room again while Omi nodded and sighed. “You’re right, of course, Ken-kun. I was just trying to save some time.”

Aya glanced at Jas before asking. “Are we done here?”

"I believe Kei ordered some training sessions. I'll work them out and let everyone know their schedules and their training partners," Jas stated before he grabbed Aya by the arm and headed for the stairs.

“You get the feeling they might be in a hurry?” Schuldig asked with a snigger.

Kate came back with the news that lunch would consist of spaghetti and clams in a tomato and basil sauce with garlic bread and fresh fruit to follow. She smiled at Yohji. “He’s also going to fry a few shrimps.”

"Thanks," Yohji said as he reached for his crutches. "I'm going to go put my foot up and read a book."

Ken smiled at Omi, "Want to go for a walk?"

Farfarello stood. "There's a Playstation 2 in the living room. I'm going to rot my brain, anyone want to join me?"

Issei grinned. “I might just be tempted by that. What about you Aki?”

Nagi was already heading for the living room. “We could have a bit of a tournament.”

Omi grinned back at Ken. “Yeah, it’s about time I saw this place instead of a computer screen.”

"So long as Kei isn't playing, I'll play," Aki agreed. "None of us can beat Kei at video games. Well, Jas beats him at Mortal Kombat but that's about it."

Schuldig headed towards the door. 

“Don’t you need to be with Yohji?” Kate asked.

“Not since Aya sorted the mess out in my head. I’ve got my shields back so only need help in large cities and then only from time to time.” He gave her a speculative look. “Do you think you’re strong enough to cope with him?”

“I honestly don’t know.”

“Well, I can’t see anyone disturbing you if you want to go and talk to him.”

"Hey Schuldig, bring us some soda or something," Farfarello called from the living room. "And chips if there are any."

Aki came bounding back into the room, "I'll help you!"

“Looks like I’m raiding the kitchen before playing. Okay Aki, lead on.”

The small man gave the telepath a wide, happy smile, "This will be fun!" But even Schuldig could see a slightly haunted look lingering in his eyes.

Kate smiled. They actually seemed to be melding into a team. Well apart from Jas and Aya, but that was normal for them. She sighed, torn between playing some high speed game and talking to Yohji who might not want to talk to her anyway.


	14. Chapter 14

Chapter 14

Yohji shoved a pillow under his leg and settled back against the pile of pillows at his back. It felt good to stretch out and just relax, though he wished he had a beer or something else to drink.

But he was too lazy to get up, and hobbling around on crutches wasn't too conducive to carrying drinks anyway.

He picked up the book and opened it to where he'd left off. He was barely past the first dozen pages, and hoped the book would get better soon, because so far it wasn't terribly interesting despite the cover blurb that claimed it was a suspense filled who done it.

There was a gentle knock at the door before it opened just enough to admit a slender hand holding a bottle of beer. “I come bearing gifts.” The voice was Kate’s. “If you just want the beer I can go away again.”

"Come in," he said, eyeing the beer and feeling like shit over the sharp craving he had for it. He might not be under the influence of the RK telepath's commands anymore, but he was still an alcoholic.

He closed the book and put it aside.

The door opened to admit Kate, two beers and a carton of apple juice. “Both beers are for you. I’m too thirsty for alcohol.”

She handed over the bottles and drew up a chair. “Book any good?”

The blond shrugged. "I can't tell really. So far it really isn’t doing much for me, and I like mysteries."

He stared at the bottles of beer. He opened one and took a swallow. It was icy cold and slid down his throat. He put the bottle down on the table by the book and raised an eyebrow at Kate. "You didn't just come here to ask me about the book and bring me beer, so what's up?"

“Well, Tsuki is looking after Kei, Omi and Ken have gone for a walk and the rest of the crew are playing on the PS2. It left me at a bit of a loose end so I wondered if you might want some company.” 

She was also wondering if his kisses had been the work of some damned telepath. He’d already told her in no uncertain terms that he would hurt her sooner or later and he’d been right.

She took a long swallow of juice and wondered exactly what she was doing there. She was drawn to Yohji like a moth to flame.

"Thanks. You've probably saved me from a book that's going to turn out to be nothing but hype which will annoy the hell out of me." He wasn't usually at a loss for conversation with a beautiful woman, but Kate was different. Attractive, alluring as sin-- of which he had a great deal of experience-- and not someone he should be thinking about in the ways he'd started thinking about her lately. Ways that involved more than just a few heated kisses.

She stared down at the carton of juice in her hand at a loss for words. Pulling herself together she glanced at Yohji’s ankle.

“Are you still in a lot of pain?” It wasn’t much of a conversation opener but the best she could do while feeling so nervous.

"It comes and goes," he admitted. "But it really isn't in the same pain category as being shot to be honest."

He wanted Kate. And, to his surprise, he found that his desire for her was every bit as intense as any he'd felt for a certain red-haired jackass.

She nodded. “Yeah, that fucking hurts. Especially if you have the added joy of our coagulant poured onto it. Pray you never need that stuff!”

"I'll keep that in mind," Yohji told her and picked up his beer only to put it back down, slip out of bed and drop to his knees in front of Kate. With no more warning than that he leaned closer and kissed her.

Eyes wide with shock, Kate returned his kiss, wondering why this time. He’d thrown her out only a couple of nights before. She couldn’t understand it. Then she simply stopped thinking about it and responded her arms going round him as if they belonged there.

Yohji finally broke the kiss, the blond's breathing harsh, eyes glittering with unbridled desire. He turned his head, looked up at the ceiling and sighed. "I've tried to fight it, I really have," he whispered, voice full of something like pain. "But I'm not strong enough. I've never been strong enough, not to stop drinking, stop smoking or to stop falling in love with the wrong people."

She kept her arms around him, trying to give what comfort she could. “Are you trying to tell me you’re in love with me?”

He closed his eyes, nodded slowly. "From the first time I saw you there was... an attraction and the more I've seen of you, the stronger it's gotten. It's happened before, and it's always the same. I'm a fool. I fell in love with a girl I hardly knew and she was killed because of me, just like Asuka. Then I thought Neu was Asuka, and I fell in love with her. She nearly killed me for my stupidity. Then there was Aya. I've been in love with him for a long time, but I never had the nerve to tell him."

He felt the sting of tears but he didn't do anything to pull away from her. He didn't have the strength to pull away. He'd never had the will power to deny his love, except with Aya, and that had been fuelled by the fear that he'd wind up gutted if he ever admitted it to the icy swordsman.

"The telepath didn't need to make me hate myself, all he had to do was amplify what was already there."

“So you think I’m doomed just because you love me? Sorry to break the mould, Yohji, but I intend to live to a ripe old age.” She tightened her hold slightly before relaxing it again, a brief squeeze to let him know she cared.

“Obviously, when we targeted Weiss we took a good look at your files. Your Asuka was clever but neither of you knew what you were getting into with Riot. When you went back to Riot, the girl made her own choices. Neu we’re still not sure about. If she was Asuka, which is unlikely but not impossible with Masafumi’s skills, she had been so brainwashed as to never be the same person. As for Aya, in my humble opinion he’s a fool to choose Jas over you but I can only be thankful that he has.”

She squeezed him again and placed a tender kiss on his forehead. “None of it was your fault, Yohji. It was just fate being a prize bitch.” 

Yohji shook his head. "There's some blame. We should have investigated what we were getting into with Riot better than we did. I wanted to but I let her talk me into going ahead with only the bare bones of the information. It was stupid of me, but I was blinded by my love for her, and that makes me a fool."

He sighed, relaxed into her hold. "It sounds nice, living to be old, putting this whole business behind me, but I know that's not my fate. When you live hand in hand with death the way I have you don't just get to walk away."

Being in her arms felt right. It made him feel whole, somehow less broken, but he knew it was nothing more than his own wishful thinking at work. He'd felt much the same way with Aya, and look how that had turned out.

“Yohji, Yohji, you’re preaching to the choir here. I’ve lived hand in hand with death since I was fifteen. I would have been dead by now if Kei hadn’t taken me in and trained me properly. He could easily have killed me as we were going after the same target. Instead he gave me a chance and I’ve worked with him for years. I’m not that fifteen year old child anymore and I know I can’t do this work forever. None of us can and I don’t think Kei would want that for us.”

"I've never even considered the possibility of doing anything else. Kritiker didn't offer a retirement plan that left the retiree breathing."

She sighed. "Kritiker made such a mess of you guys. You were paid peanuts rather than what the jobs were really worth. They used your desire for revenge and justice against you all, even Omi who was raised to kill. They gave you the most pathetic cover I've ever heard of and too little time to spend on outside interests. I'm surprised you didn't all go nuts."

Yohji actually met her gaze. "I always thought we were being paid very well. Better than I could ever hope to make as a private detective, or, let's face it, some salaryman working his ass off for a crap apartment and a few minor luxuries." He frowned. "How bad did they screw us? I really want to know and since you mentioned it you have the answer."

“Before I tell you just how badly you were ripped off let me ask you some questions. Firstly, why do you think Omi and Aya worked so hard to make the flower shop pay? Simply because any losses came out of your money. Secondly, why did Aya have to take on every mission offered, even the solo ones? Because he had to pay all the expenses for his sister. Kritiker should have done that for him. Thirdly, do you honestly believe they couldn’t have cleared Ken’s name if they’d wanted to? And lastly and perhaps most damning, why did you have to be ‘dead’? Let’s face it, a ‘dead’ man cannot take industrial action over pay or benefits.”

“The truth is you guys saw about a quarter of what those jobs were worth. And then you had to pay all your own expenses as well. The only perk they ever gave you was that ski lodge.”

"That ski lodge was used for clean up missions more than once," he told her softly, "so it was hardly a perk.

“And I tried not to meddle in Aya's business over Aya-chan, that was never welcome, and they still aren't with him as far as that goes."

He lowered his head, resting his chin on her shoulder, "But I never thought it was that bad. I figured we were making about half of what those jobs were worth."

She nodded. It was about what she’d guessed they would have considered they were getting. Holding him close she whispered. “It gets worse. Once Botan was gone only Manx or Birman gave a damn about you because that’s when Rosenkreuz started stepping into the vacuum. They let you and Schwarz take out the Elders because they didn’t want one of their founder members resurrected. After that you were used and abused and no longer able to refuse jobs.

“Even at the beginning, with Takatori Shuichi’s good intentions, you were selected for the damage that had already been done to you. I’m sorry, Yohji, but they just made bad worse for all of you.”

"Yeah, bad into worse, the story of my life," he murmured. "But that's the past isn't it? We've got the here and now to deal with, so tell me Kate, what will you be in my life, hope or more pain?"

“Hope, Yohji. I couldn’t hurt you. I… I love you too much. Even though you’re a pain in the arse.”

Yohji rocked back and sat there, jade eyes wide in shock. "You... w... what did you say?" he stammered in such a soft whisper that it was hard for her to hear him.

She smiled at him, her green eyes full of mischief. “I said you’re a pain in the arse. But I still love you.”

He sat there searching her face, her eyes for a moment. "Do you mean that or are you just saying it to keep me from doing anything stupid?"

She stopped smiling and frowned at him. “I don’t play those games, Yohji. I live in a world of men so I always say exactly what I mean.” She smiled again. “If I don’t the poor dears get very confused.

“Seriously though, I don’t lie about the important things and there is nothing more important than the way I feel about you.”

He was still staring at her when he asked, "Why?"

“Why is it so important? Because you’ve loved not wisely but too well and because I’ve been too afraid to love at all.”

"But, that doesn't answer what I want to know. Why do you love me, Kate? I certainly haven't shown you anything to make me worthy of your heart." He let her go, reached for the edge of the bed, retreating from her, not sure he could believe and afraid that she might be telling him the truth.

“Haven’t you? You sat on the porch with me at the farm and made me feel good as well as making me laugh even when you were in such pain. You trusted me enough to tell me your suspicions about Crawford. You pushed me away rather than hurt me. How could I not love you after all that?”

He got to the edge of the bed and held his arms out to her. "If you mean it, if this isn’t some way Kei's cooked up to control me, then come here and let me hold you."

If it was some sort of plot by Kei... well really it was too hard to believe unless Kei was a world class precog like Crawford.

She went to him with no hesitation at all but she was frowning. “Kei thought I would have to kill you. If he’d insisted it would have been the first and last time I’d have defied him.”

Yohji pulled her gently into bed just by laying back and drawing her down on top of him. "Because my drinking makes me a weak link in the chain," he told her, "Jas was very blunt about that. I think he's convinced I should be killed even now, unless that was just the telepath's tampering."

“Part of it was tampering, part I think was rivalry over Aya, but Jas doesn’t make the decisions, Kei does. We all drink, Yohji, so it’s not your drinking that’s the problem as such. It’s the depressed state of mind the booze puts you in.” She leaned forward and kissed him. 

Yohji's embrace turned fierce, possessive as her lips sought his out and he returned the kiss, passion rising in a feverish burst of need.

Kate closed her eyes as her own desire rose suffusing her body in furnace intensity heat. She moaned softly and let the passion take her where it would as her belly tightened and her nipples became erect.

Yohji's cock was already hard, his blood heating as he reacted to Kate's evident arousal. Eyes bright he pulled away, realizing they might have something standing between their mutual needs. "We need a condom."

“No we don’t. I have a six monthly shot of hormones on Kei’s insistence, not that I’ve needed it until now.”

"Good enough," Yohji told her as he claimed her mouth for another mind melting kiss.

She clung to him, returning his passion with her own heat, her nails scratching down his back in her pleasure.

Yohji kissed down her throat, his right hand cupping a breast, thumb brushing over the erect nipple. "Sure you want this, Kate?"

She took a deep, shuddering breath but managed to say, “More sure than I’ve been of anything in my life.” And that included killing her brother’s killers and her rapists.

He nipped her gently, "That sounds pretty certain," he agreed as he pulled her shirt off and started to kiss along the curve of her collarbone his hand caressing her breast through her bra.

She writhed against him as he teased her, wanting things she thought she’d never want again after her one bitter experience of sex.

"Kate," he murmured against her soft skin, taking in the sweet scents of shampoo and soap, the warmer scent of female arousal that seared through him and turned his own needs from smouldering heat to a bonfire of lust.

Her hands ran over his smooth, golden skin and she arched under his expert touches. “Yohji,” she gasped on hitched breaths.

Yohji kissed one of Kate's breasts through the bra, exhaling to warm the hard nub, lips teasing.

Gaining confidence, she reached behind her and undid the bra exposing her taut breasts to his gaze.

Yohji raised his head and smiled. "Beautiful," he murmured and took both of them in his hands to caress them before bending down to kiss the left one then the right.

She made a soft noise of contentment as the sensations from her breasts ran through her body to awaken her clitoris.

Yohji sucked the nipple into his mouth and sucked gently, the tip of his tongue sweeping over the stiff bit of flesh.  
Her head turned from side to side on the pillow as she made small whimpering noises. The sensations were building to fever pitch and she pulled at him until he was on top of her and she could feel his cock against her inner thigh.

Yohji stopped what he was doing and reached for the button of her jeans. "I want to see all of you, I want to kiss every inch of you," he told her, his voice raw-edged with desire.

“And I want to do the same for you,” she replied, “I want to taste you and I want you inside of me.”

"Kate," Yohji breathed her name and leaned forward to give her a deep, savouring kiss.

She held him close as he kissed her, her hands kneading his shoulders.

Yohji sighed his appreciation of what she was doing, her hands feeling good on him, what they were doing feeling so right, he felt tears stinging his eyes. He unbuttoned and unzipped her jeans and had her out of them quickly, his jade gaze taking in the lean body, the creamy silken skin.

"Perfection," he said, gaze full of appreciation of what he was seeing.

She smiled up at him. “You’re not so bad yourself,” she said.

Yohji took her hands in his and guided them to the button on his jeans. "You haven't seen all of me yet either."

She swallowed hard but overcame the memories and undid the button on his jeans before pulling the zip down. There was nothing underneath them but him and suddenly curious she reached in to feel silken smoothness around steel hardness. Her eyes widened. “Oh. You’re huge.”

Yohji groaned as she touched his erection, and he reached out to caress her cheek then leaned in to kiss her again.

She returned the kiss hungrily, her hand remaining wrapped around his cock as she marvelled at the feel of it.

Her touch felt good, incredible and he found himself starting to wonder why he'd ever been attracted to Aya. Then he stopped wondering about that and gave his attention to the woman who he wanted and who wanted him, their kiss heating.

He broke the kiss. "Kate, tell me what you want."

She let go of his erection and clung to him. “I want you so much but I’m scared.”

Yohji frowned but wrapped his arms around her. "Scared? Of me? Why?" Her sudden confession made no sense.  
“No, not of you, never of you.” She took a deep breath. “This is so unfair of me to tell you this now but I haven’t had sex since I was fifteen. The reason I haven’t had sex in so long is because I was raped by three of the guys who killed my brother with their poison. I… I shot them in the balls before I finished them off.”

She gazed at him, wincing as if expecting a blow. “I want you but I need you to be gentle.”

He took her face between his hands, gazed into her eyes. "Kate that's not something you ever have to worry about. I've never been anything but gentle with the women I love."

He kissed her, hoping he could ease her fears, wanting to heal the damage she'd suffered at the hands of the bastards who'd spoiled her first time with their cruelty.

She clung to him like a limpet and something tight within her finally eased and she returned his kiss once more hungry for him.

Yohji ended the kiss and sat back on the bed. "We're going to take this slow, Kate. First off," he wiggled out of his jeans easing the split leg over the cast on his broken ankle. "If you can look at something it loses any sense of unknown territory."

He tossed the jeans aside and scooted into the middle of the bed. "Come here, Kate," he urged and held his arms out to her.

She came to him willingly, settling into his arms as if she belonged there.

He pulled her closer so she could feel the hard line of his erection against her thigh. "You were touching me before. Do you want to do that and look at what you're holding or should I just kiss you for a while?"

Yohji was determined not to rush anything. If he'd learned anything in his years of whoring around Tokyo it was how to be patient and not rush anything.

She smiled at him, thankful for his gentleness with her. “You feel nice so I think I should take a look to see if you look as good as you feel.”

He winked and lay back on the bed. "Sure Kate. Look away. I don't mind, I promise."

She sat up slightly and grasped his erection once more, this time looking at the shape and size of it and deciding she liked what she was seeing. A strange thought came into her mind and she grew bolder as she followed up on it and moved closer. Bending she took the head of it into her mouth.

"Kate, baby," Yohji groaned and ran his hand through her hair. "That's so good."

The taste and smell of him made her whole body quiver with desire and she started to suck in earnest.

Yohji's breath caught, the blond straining to keep control. He took a shuddering breath and let it out, fighting to keep control. He wanted to roll her over on her back and slide into her wet heat. He could smell the sweet musk of feminine arousal and that, combined with the feel of her mouth on him was almost enough to make him lose it.

He took another shuddering breath, hand sliding over her shoulder, down the curve of her back to touch her ass, the strong fingers following the firm curve. She had a really nice ass.

"Gods Kate, I want you," he groaned.

She came away from him then and moved up his body to kiss him gently, sharing his taste with him. “I want you too Yohji.” And it was true. There was a warm wetness between her legs aching to be filled.

Still kissing her he gripped her biceps and rolled her onto her back kissing her deeply for a moment. When she was gasping for breath he kissed his way downward, showering her breasts with feather light kisses and the firm touch of his hands.

She moaned as he played her body like a musical instrument, eliciting soft groans of pleasure and the sweet music of desire wherever he touched.

Yohji kissed his way lower, nuzzling her navel, licking it then moving down farther until he was kissing the top of her mound, the tip of his tongue darting out to touch the top of her moist slit.

She smelled wonderful. The aroma of aroused female hitting him, making his cock twitch and sending a flare of blazing lust through him that was so intense that he groaned.

She gave a little scream of pure unadulterated bliss as his tongue found a particular spot that sent feelers of sensation throughout her body. “Please, please oh gods that’s so good, Yohji!”

Yohji lapped gently at the hard nub, giving her pleasure, enjoying the sounds of her voice, her begging cries.

This was what he wanted. What he needed. A woman to love, not some hard ass bastard who'd never appreciate what he could give.

Her hands tangled in blond waves as she arched into the sensation, sensation that she’d never experienced before not even by her own hands. She was almost screaming Yohji’s name, over and over again.

Yohji thrust and lapped, enjoying Kate's reaction, loving her taste, driving her toward an orgasm he hoped she'd always remember.

It all became too much and her whole body spasmed as she came with a final cry of his name.  
This was what Yohji had been waiting for. While she was still lost in the intensity of the moment he moved between her silken thighs and slid himself gently into her slick heat, groaning at the sensation.

“Oh gods, Yohji!” She clutched at his shoulders rising up so that she could kiss him. The intensity was even higher with him inside her and her hips were moving to a rhythm all of their own as if they knew the music.

Yohji returned the kiss, his thrusts slow and tentative, letting her set the pace with her frantic movements. He broke the kiss, smiled at her, "Easy, Kate. You aren't used to this and I don't want you to get sore."

Her rhythm slowed to match his as she smiled her appreciation of his thoughtfulness. There was a kind man under the mess and it was that kindness and consideration that she had fallen for.

Yohji captured Kate's mouth for a kiss that demonstrated passion as he moved slow and easy, his cock more of a teasing than a fulfilment.

She opened her mouth giving entry to his tongue, letting him claim all of her.

He savoured the taste of her, the feel of his cock moving inside of her velvety heat. He groaned, deepening the kiss, deepening his thrusts without increasing the pace.

Her breath was coming in little gasps and she clung to him as she tore her mouth from his to scream out his name as sensation overtook her again.

Her cry of pleasure brought a smile to Yohji's lips and warmed his jade eyes. "I take it you're enjoying this, Kate?"

“Bastard,” she muttered once she could speak at all.

He leaned in closer, his smile never wavering as he replied, "No babe, I'm not, I'm just the best lover you'll ever have, and that's no boast."

To prove it he started to thrust faster, this time the strokes were shallow, just the head moving inside her.

She closed her eyes and clung to him. It was all she felt she could do as orgasm after orgasm rocked her and she realised he’d spoken nothing but the truth.

* * * 

Jas stared at the ceiling, his mouth compressed into a hard line of annoyance. "What the hell is that bastard doing to her?" he muttered angrily.

“Hn?” Aya came awake from a doze to find himself tangled with Jas which was good and a woman’s screams coming from above them which was bad until he recognised the sounds and realised why he’d slept through them. He was used to sleeping through Yohji’s trysts. “They always yell like that.”  
He chuckled softly as he remembered it could only be one woman making those sounds. He felt she would be good for Yohji who, despite claiming to love him, still preferred women.

Jas pressed himself closer to Aya and sighed. "But it's been almost an hour. How much longer is this going to take?"

“I’ve known him go all night.” He hugged Jas and kissed him before adding, “this can only be a good thing as it should take his mind off the booze.”

Jas pulled out of Aya's embrace. "You're fucking kidding me! All night?"

Aya grinned. “Yep! He’s got stamina if nothing else. I doubt if this will go on for much longer though. Kate isn’t one of his trollops.”

"Yeah that's right, she's not some whore he picked up off the street," Jas agreed angrily. "And I don't like it that he's treating her like one!" The blond reached for his clothes.

Aya reached out quick as thought and grabbed his wrist. “He’s not. Yohji likes women and treats them well. He has a weakness for them that has caused him a lot of pain in the past. He would never treat Kate like a whore.”

The blond stared at his lover. "You don't understand!" he snarled and yanked his arm out of Aya's grasp. "Her only experience with men was a gang rape!"

“Jas! Listen to her! Does that sound like pain to you or like the sounds we make?”

Aya's lover closed his eyes. "I'm just worried he'll break her heart, Aya. He's no good for her. He really isn't."

Aya frowned. “I need to know why you hate Yohji so much. You hardly know him and what you’ve seen is him at his worst. Where does it come from?”

Jas sighed. "Time for a bit of truth. Kei had me following all of you in rotation, gathering intel on Weiss. I've been doing it on and off for about five months."

“I see. And what conclusions did you come to before you cut the brake fluid line in my car?”

"It was a test to see how well you could handle an emergency like that. And that was purely Kei's idea." He frowned. "He did worse to me before he let me into DSS."

“That wasn’t what I asked you.”

Jas looked very uncomfortable. "I came to the conclusion that I..." he blushed, "wanted you to fuck me."

“I knew I wanted the same when I first saw you on that station platform.” He frowned. “So following Yohji made you hate him?”  
"I have no respect for him, Aya." Jas sighed. "I knew he was meeting with Schwarz, but I didn’t know why. I also knew he was getting into some heavy drug use, though I guess it might have been understandable in some ways." Jas lay down beside Aya. "He had a power he didn't understand or know how to control."

“Well judging by the way he sent that same power down his wire he has absolute control over it now.” It was Aya’s turn to sigh. “Don’t write him off as a needy and addictive personality, Jas. He’s one of the most ruthless killers I know. Certainly he was the most dangerous member of Weiss. His problem is coming to terms with what he’s done after the event; especially if the event involves killing a woman.”

Jas remembered the touch of that power all too well. "He's damned fast and dangerous, I'll agree with that, but his addictions are very much a liability to the team. Kei ordered Kate to take him out and she chose not to."

He looked at the ceiling, "I guess I know why."

“I think that Kate, like those of us that were in Weiss with him, can see the advantages of keeping him alive far outweigh the disadvantages. Yeah, I agree emotion played a part in her decision but I believe she’s professional enough to have killed him if she thought otherwise.”

The screams had subsided into quiet whimpers before dying out altogether. Aya smiled and pulled Jas towards him again. He was just about to kiss him when there was another loud interruption. This one sounded more serious as the raised voice was Tsuki’s and it sounded like he was yelling at Kei.

Jas pulled away from Aya and sat up, yanking on a pair of pants. "Something's seriously wrong with Kei. He's not yelling back."

* * *

Tsuki had got Kei into bed and frowned at his obvious feverishness. “I’m going to take a look at that wound.” 

He unwrapped the bandages only to find them covered in pus and the wound weeping yet more of it. “You didn’t think to change the bandages?” Then he remembered Kei wanting his decision early and a terrifying thought crossed his mind.

“Don’t you dare die on me you bastard!” He ran into the bathroom frantically searching for a first aid box.

His wounded side wasn't bandaged and it was the look of the wound that sent Jas rushing to the man lying there.

"Kei what the fuck have you done to yourself this time?"

The dark eyes stared for a moment, blinked twice before Kei turned his head to regard Jas. "I'm okay, just tired."

“Where’s the fucking first aid box?” Tsuki yelled from the bathroom.

Aya took one look and shook his head. “Forget first aid. If we don’t get that wound drained right now he’s going to die.”

"It looks like it's draining on its own, but what I want to know is where the antibiotics they must have given him at the hospital are," Jas replied. "From the look of that he didn't take them."

Raising his voice he yelled, "Tsuki I thought you were taking care of him!"

“I was and he’s been taking the antibiotics! This is the first time he’s let me get a look at the wound.”

"It shouldn't be this bad," Jas muttered and looked at Aya. "Something isn't right here." The blond stalked toward the bathroom. "Tsuki, where are those antibiotics?"

Tsuki handed over the bottle to Jas, his black eyes full of fear.

Jas opened the bottle and peered inside, took out one of the pills and sniffed it. He frowned, opened his mouth and put the pill inside. After a moment his frown deepened. "These are nothing but pressed sugar."

“Who the hell would switch the pills?” Aya asked. “I saw the medics take him off the plane so I know damned well the hospital wouldn’t have given him a placebo.” He turned to Tsuki. “You were with him the whole time at the hospital? So who gave you the pills for him?”

“One of the nurses.”

"We need to get him back to the hospital," Jas stated harshly. "And you need to come and point out that nurse to us."

He looked at Aya. "Someone is going to die for this betrayal."

“You can’t take him to the hospital if someone there is trying to kill him!” Tsuki yelled. “You need to bring someone you can trust here.”

Aya sighed. “He’s right. Until we know who switched those pills the hospital isn’t safe.”

"Shit. Let me call for some help then," Jas said. He turned to go find the number for a doctor, and came to a sharp halt because he'd almost run into Ken.

"What's going on?" the brunet asked.

“Kei’s antibiotics were swapped for sugar pills and I’m damned sure Tsuki didn’t swap them,” Aya told him. “So now he’s got an infected wound and a high fever.”

“I think he’s dying,” Tsuki said softly.  
Farfarello joined them as Ken entered the room and made his way over to Kei.

The man on the bed looked bad. Really bad.

Ken looked at Aya. "He needs a doctor."

"Brilliant deduction," Jas snapped, and opened his mouth to say something else but was stopped when Farfarello put a finger over Jas' mouth.

"Be quiet. No one needs to hear any shit from you right now."

“Could you just stop all this crap and help him for fuck’s sake!” Tsuki was getting as angry as Jas by now.

Jas turned to Tsuki, face pale, eyes full of panic. "I...."

Farfarello turned Jas around and gave him a gentle push toward the door. "Go get Kudoh and get to the bottom of this. We'll handle things here." He looked at Aya, "You might want go with them."

Aya nodded, knowing that Tsuki wouldn’t be going anywhere until he was sure that Kei was either out of danger or dead. “Come on Jas,” he said. “You might change your mind about Yohji when you see just how bright he can be.”

Tsuki was wide-eyed with fear. “What can we do? He’ll die if we don’t do something.”

Farfarello gave Ken a nod. "Do what you can."

Ken nodded and put a hand over the wound in Kei's side. He could feel the sickness in the wound, the awful wrongness flowing through Kei's veins. He pulled his hand back. "Tsuki's right, he's dying."

Farfarello moved to stand at Ken's back, pushed him gently closer to Kei, leaned closer to whisper into Ken's ear. "You can do this, Ken."

The ex-soccer player's face set into a grim line and he put his hand over the wound, closed his eyes and sent his power outward. 

Tsuki stared from one to the other of them. “What’s he doing?” he demanded. “Kei needs a doctor!”

"Ken's better than a doctor, Tsuki. He's a biokinetic, and he might be the only one able to save Kei," Farfarello explained.

Tsuki swallowed hard and anyone who wanted to could see the tears in his eyes. He didn’t care. If Kei were to die…no, it just didn’t bear thinking about. His whole world would collapse around him.

Ken reached into the tortured flesh and tried to pull out the bacterial toxins.

Kei's eyes opened and he screamed.

Tsuki ran to him and cradled his head. “Its okay, Kei, Ken’s trying to help you.” He glared at Ken for hurting his lover.

Fluid poured out of the wound as Ken continued to try and heal the other man, while Kei lay there shivering, feverish eyes on Tsuki.

Tsuki brushed the soaking red-black hair out of Kei’s eyes and smiled down at him. “It’ll be okay. I promise.” Because if it wasn’t they were well and truly fucked.

Farfarello caught Ken as his knees buckled. "I'll take care of the kitten, you deal with your boss," Berserker said as he slung the limp former Weiss to his shoulder and turned to leave.

“Thank him when you can, please,” Tsuki said. He took a look at the wound and was amazed to find it was both clean and closed up. “Wow!” He went to the bathroom, wet a facecloth and wiped the sweat of Kei’s brow with it. “Why didn’t you say anything?”

"I didn't want to worry you," Kei replied. "And I didn't feel too bad until after the meeting." He closed his eyes and sighed. "I just don't understand what happened."

“Somebody changed your antibiotics for placebos. It wasn’t done here so Jas, Aya, Yohji and Kate are heading for the hospital to find out what happened. You’re only alive at all because Ken did something wonderful and healed you.”

"Ken..." Kei sighed the name. "He's a biokinetic."

“Yes and he saved your life.” Tsuki’s expression became angry. “I blame myself. I should have insisted on looking at that wound before today.”

Kei reached up and pulled at Tsuki. "Come here," he murmured, voice sleepy.

Tsuki lay beside him rather than make him stretch. “I’m here and you need sleep, Kei.” He was shaking as the shock finally hit him. They had very nearly lost Kei, he had nearly lost Kei.

"Not going to argue," Kei replied as the other man snuggled against him. "Ken did a good job. He should heal Yohji's leg then we can go kill those Esset bastards."

Tsuki agreed with him and watched with some satisfaction as he sank into a peaceful, fever-free sleep. He settled next to him and fell asleep himself.

* * * * * * *

Yohji opened his eyes the instant he heard someone approaching his door. He threw a sheet over Kate and reached for his jeans, pulling them on as a knock sounded.

He got into them, grabbed his crutches and went to the door. He knew Aya was out there, he'd recognized the red-haired man's soft foot steps. And if Aya was out there, chances were good that the other footsteps he'd heard were Jas.

If they're coming here to bitch...

He pulled the door open a few inches and peered out. "Yeah?"

“Someone tried to kill Kei,” Aya said. “His antibiotics were switched for placebos at the hospital.”

Behind him there was a startled oath and the sounds of Kate climbing rapidly into her clothes. She joined him at the door. “Do we know who?”

Jas was staring at Yohji until Kate joined them at the door. "No. But I imagine it won't be hard for us to find out."

Yohji stepped back from the door. "Let me get cleaned up and into some clothes."

“What happened?” Kate asked as Yohji went back inside to dress. “You said his meds were switched at the hospital?”

"Yeah. Someone wanted your boss dead," he told her as he limped into the bathroom.

She frowned and turned to Jas. “Who on this island would want the man dead? It doesn’t make sense.”

"My guess is someone got bought off, or tampered with while they were off the island," Yohji told her as he turned on the faucet in the sink. He couldn't get in the shower, and didn't really have time, but he sure as hell wasn't going to go roaming the island smelling like sex.

Though it wouldn't be the first time he'd gone on a mission smelling like that.

“Will he be okay?” she asked, terrified of hearing the wrong answer.

“Farfarello seemed to think Ken could help him,” Aya told her and her face cleared.

“Yes, yes he can. He raised a fish from the dead earlier.”

"Well if Ken kept Kei from dying, I guess he can work on my leg." He dropped his jeans and wiggled out of them before using a washcloth with nice smelling soap over his torso, getting the worst of the sex-sweat off of himself.

“Are you going to be ready anytime today?” Aya asked.

Yohji sighed and got dried off. "And if I didn't do that you'd bitch at me about how I smelled so get off my ass, Aya."

Jas sighed and spun away from the door to lean against the wall, staring at the ceiling. "God why can't I just kill him?" he muttered.

“Because I’m not entirely sure which one of you would win,” Aya said with a smile. “And right now we can’t afford to lose either of you.”

"So later maybe we'll find out," Jas remarked and pushed off from the wall. "I’ll go start the car."

Yohji pulled on a shirt and swung himself out of the bathroom, using the crutches. He smiled at Kate. "I guess I'll have to wait until later for some dessert," he told her as he swooped in for a kiss.

She returned the kiss while Aya rolled his eyes and stalked after Jas. Once he’d gone she grinned. “You love annoying Jas, don’t you?”

Yohji winked. "Aya too. I've been doing it for years."

She chuckled but started towards the door. “Let’s get this mess cleared up then maybe the terrible two will withdraw back to their basement.”

"The basement. Good place to keep dangerous things. Aya. Jas. Two headed monsters," Yohji quipped as he headed for the door.

Kate smiled and followed him out but not before her gaze had fallen on the almost full bottle of beer on the nightstand. Her smile grew and she grabbed his free hand.

He turned. "What is it, babe?" His eyes fell on the bottle of beer and he grinned, picked it up and drained it. "Insult to injury."

“Come on this is supposed to be an investigation into a traitor not a pleasure trip!” But she was laughing.

Yohji grinned. "I know, but it's hard to keep business from mixing with pleasure when I'm with you."

She sobered quickly. “But you need to, Yohji. The man expects the best from all of us.”

His grin vanished. "Kate, babe, it was meant as a compliment." Yohji shoved the door open and belched softly. "Sorry, I drank that beer a little too fast, even for me. Of course if Aya was here, I'd have burped loud to annoy him."

“Oh. I’m more used to trading insults than receiving compliments.” She smiled again and let him pass her so she could shut the front door behind them. Aya and Jas were sitting in the car with the engine running and both looked less than happy. She was hard put not to giggle.

"Look, it's the jackass twins," Yohji murmured as they headed for the car.

She bit her lip. “Shut up,” she muttered. They reached the car and climbed into the back as Aya appeared to be riding shotgun.

Yohji got in and hauled the crutches inside with them and pulled the door closed. "So let's go."

“Kudoh!” Aya growled in warning.

"What?" Yohji asked, wondering exactly what had crawled up Aya's ass this time.

But all Aya did was sigh and keep his eyes on the driveway as Jas drove.

Yohji leaned back in the seat, glanced at Kate and winked.

It wasn't a long drive to the hospital where Kei had been taken care of, and Jas parked the car in the space closest to the door that was marked 'Private Space, no Parking.'

They climbed out of the car and headed into the hospital looking for the doctor that they had thought they could trust.

The instant they entered and one of the nurses saw Yohji she came rushing over with a wheelchair. "Mr. Yohji, what are you doing back?"

“We’re looking for Doctor Akamu,” Kate told her. “It’s a private matter rather than medical.”

"Oh! He's in his office. If you'll follow me," she said and led them down the hall to a cluster of small offices. One door was marked 'Doctor Akamu' and she knocked.

“Come in,” a voice called and they trooped into the office. Doctor Akamu was a middle aged man of small stature but with bright intelligent eyes. “Miss Kate, Mr Jason? What can I do for you?”

Jas entered the office like a bolt of lightning, grabbing the man and yanking him out of the chair by the front of his shirt. "Kei almost died, now tell me where you got those antibiotics you gave him!"

Yohji sighed. "If you need money for that leash, Aya--"

“From my usual suppliers,” the doctor gasped out. “They were quite strong enough to keep Mr Kei’s wound from becoming infected. Of course if he had stayed here they might have worked quicker.”

“Jas,” Kate snapped. “Put him down! Can we see where you keep them please, doctor?”

“Of course.”

Jas let go of the man, but his expression promised fast death if they didn't like what they found out.

The doctor straightened his clothes and, having shot Jas a fearful look, headed towards the door. "This way. The medication is kept under lock and key."

He led the way down a short corridor to a locked room little bigger than a closet lined with shelves filled with various medications. "As you can see the morphine is kept even more securely." He indicated a locked glass cabinet in one corner. "The antibiotics are on this side."

Jas got ahead of the others and opened the indicated cabinet. He searched through the bottles of antibiotics, his hard expression turning angry. "None of these look like the placebos."

"I prescribed quite strong ones for Mr Kei. These." He pointed out some yellow and green capsules.

"The pills he was taking were red," Kate said. "And Tsuki says they're what he was given when they left the hospital."

Doctor Akamu looked both shocked and mystified. "But we don't have any red antibiotics."

"Someone switched the pills," Yohji remarked.

"Wow, that's amazing Kudoh! You figured out what we already knew," Jas remarked sarcastically.

Kate's eyes narrowed. "Well if you already knew it why did you attack the doctor? Doctor Akamu has worked with us for some time now without ever betraying us." She turned to the doctor. "Who else would have access to the antibiotics and the placebos?"

"Any of the staff nurses. Only the doctors have access to the morphine, but that's not our problem. I think one of the nurses must have done this."

"Aya, use that mind of yours and see if you can spot anyone in the nursing staff that's worried or nervous about us being here," Yohji instructed.

"There's only that one nurse who recognized you that even knows we're here," Aya said. "I've already scanned."

Jas turned to Dr. Akamu. "Who assisted you with Kei?"

"My usual theatre nurse and a new staff nurse from the mainland. She came with excellent references." Doctor Akamu was wringing his hands, obviously unhappy at the situation.

"If you mean Pele she wouldn't have done this. Who's the new nurse?"

"Yes, who is she?' Jas wanted to know. "I thought Kei had to approve all newcomers to the island."

"She had paperwork with his signature on it," Doctor Akamu said. "If you come to my office I can show it to you. It will also give you her name."

Kate was thinking. "When Kei and Tsuki left here, Kei was more concerned about what was happening at the house than noticing a new face and Tsuki wouldn't know any of the nurses. It would be the perfect opportunity."

Jas frowned. "It might not have been a nurse at all."

"No, there aren't that many people working here. A total stranger wouldn't go unnoticed," Yohji replied.

"Let's take a look at this paperwork," Aya said. "Jas or Kate can verify whether it is Kei's signature and we can find the name and address."

"Good plan," Yohji agreed. He motioned to the doctor, "I'm sure you know where the paperwork is."

"Of course." He led the way back to his office and opened a filing cabinet. "Here we are. Alison Chambers." He extracted a file and handed it over.

Jas took the paper and flipped to the place where Kei's signature should be. He frowned. "The authorization page is blank."

"That's impossible! The signature was there!"

"Looks like pills aren't the only thing she switched," Kate remarked. "What's the address, Jas?"

Jas glanced at Aya. "Think you can find her? The address given doesn't exist on the island."

Yohji frowned. "Esset infiltrator. She's undoubtedly a telepath, or she's got help here."

"Well, if she's an American or Canadian as the name suggests it should be easy. I just look for a mind that is thinking in English. The islanders will be thinking in their own language."

He lowered his shields just enough to let the island in and winced at the sudden cacophony. One mind stood out and he closed his eyes turning to pinpoint it before raising his shields again. "She's German, or at least thinks in that language. North west."

Yohji was the first one out of the door, the blond heading as fast as his long legs would carry him. "Want to bet she was sent here to bring Kei down, keep the clone working, and fuck us all over if she could. What they don't know is it's much too late for that."

"He's right," Aya said as he went after the blond. Kate glanced at Jas before heading after them.

Jas was staring at Yohji. "What the hell..." he muttered as he wondered about how the other man could figure things out so easily.

Aya smiled at him. "Ex private detective, but he's always done it ever since I've known him." He shrugged. "At least, I'm guessing you're wondering how he works these things out so quickly. Come on, let's put an end to this bitch."

Jas followed along, still trying to get his mind around the startling way Kudoh came up with logical answers seemingly out of the blue from the pickled mush of his brain.

Then he hit on something and grabbed Aya's arm to whisper, "He's a precog. That's why Crawford wanted him! He's like the damned Oracle, just more subtle."

"Then he has two skills to his name and you wonder why Kate kept him alive?" A sudden thought hit him with the force of a ten ton truck. "Jas…? No never mind, it can wait until we've dealt with this."

"What?" Aya's lover asked as they followed Yohji and Kate out to the SUV.

But Aya had had a few seconds to think, and knew that asking a direct question would not work. "Just that you have no reason to be concerned about Kudoh, it was over before it began."

Jas nodded and headed for the driver' seat, dismayed that Yohji was getting into the front passenger's seat. "Kudoh--"

"It's too fucking hard for me to get in and out back there," the taller blond snapped.

Jas glared at the other man and opened his mouth to protest, then sighed and dropped it. Aya was right, he had no reason to be jealous.

Aya and Kate climbed in the back and Aya leaned forward to gaze out of the windscreen over Jas' shoulder. "Can we go north west from here?"

"Not directly, but you tell me when to turn and yeah, we can get there," Jas replied as he started the SUV.

Yohji grunted and reached down to grab his ankle as Jas slammed the car into reverse and hit the gas yanking the SUV out of the parking space rather savagely.

Kate sighed as she got thrown around on the back seat. "She can't get off the island until the supply plane comes in and as that's not for another three days I think you can slow down just a little!" She chuckled. "I don't believe Kudoh is actually contagious."

Jas' eyes narrowed as he regarded Kate in the rear view mirror.

"No, I'm not contagious but these crutches might wind up in someone's ass if he doesn't learn to drive a little better in the next two seconds," Yohji remarked caustically as they screeched around a corner.

"You know, Aya, you really look cute when you’re terrified. Maybe that's why he's driving like a drunken monkey," Yohji remarked.

The words were no sooner out of the blond's mouth when the blond driving hit the brake, making the SUV skid wildly down the street for several meters.

When they finally came to a halt, Aya climbed out of the car and opened the driver's door. "I'll drive! You navigate!"

Jas sat there for a moment, gasping for breath, shaking from reaction. He nodded meekly and got out of the SUV, getting in the back beside Kate. He was pale and sweating, eyes going slightly glassy.

Yohji glanced back and frowned. "He looks bad Kate. Is he okay?"

"Not really. His twin sister was murdered the day after their tenth birthday so we go through this to a greater or lesser extent every year. This year has been particularly bad because of the damned telepaths and their fucking about. It was his birthday yesterday." She turned to Jas, brushing sweat damp hair out of his eyes.

Jas shuddered at her touch, turned distressed grey eyes on Kate. "I can't hear her, Kate. She's gone silent. Why can't I hear her?"

"Maybe he shouldn't have come with us," Yohji remarked.

Kate frowned. "Aya, I know you're driving and trying to trace her but I need to know if the bitch is fucking with Jas' head."

Aya glanced at Jas through the rear view mirror and took a left turn before replying, "She's doing something but I don't know what it is as her shields are up and I don't want to risk smashing them down until we get there."

Yohji unbuckled his seat belt and turned around to put a hand on Jas.

Jas raised his head and stared at Yohji. "I can hear her again." A look of wonder filled his gaze and he gave Yohji a dazed smile. "She says you're a good man and I should stop being such a big jerk."

Both Aya and Kate chuckled at that. "That sounds like Iona," Kate remarked.   
"Seems like you can shield by touch Yohji."

Aya sighed. "I didn't want to raise my shields over all of us in case it warned her we were onto her. I'm sorry, Jas."

"I understand Aya," Jas replied, sounding far more calm and level headed than he'd been for days. He was staring at Yohji, his expression showing newfound respect for the older man. "I understand why you're worth keeping, Kudoh. I won't harass you anymore."

"Thanks," Yohji replied.

“Well, having sorted that out, it only remains to be said that we're here." Aya pulled up just short of a house at the end of a neat little street. "She's in there. I'm going to see if I can find out what else she's trying to do."

"No, wait. It really doesn't matter what she's trying now. I don't want her to know we're here until it's too late. Let's go guys." Kate climbed out of the car and headed towards the nearest house, motioning for the others to go towards the front of the telepath's house.

Yohji had to let Jas go, but only long enough for them to get out of the SUV, the taller blond taking Jas by the right hand. Jas drew his pistol right left handed and headed toward the house with Yohji doing his best on one crutch.

"Don't kill her, we need some answers," Yohji stated as they neared the house.

Kate meanwhile was heading through the back yard of the neighboring house, ready in case the telepath should make a bolt for it. Aya joined her, leaving Yohji and Jas to approach from the front.

The Esset telepath bolted from the house, her pistol snapping at the two assassins, bullets winging toward Kate and Aya, her mind seeking to blur reality enough to aid her escape.

But she had reckoned without Aya's shields which were now spread to cover Kate as he pulled out his own gun and fired once, hitting the telepath in the leg.

Both he and Kate ran forward to keep the still struggling woman from escaping. It was only as she was running forward that Kate realized she had a bullet crease running across her left upper arm. "Bitch," she muttered.

Jas came running up, Yohji right behind him.

Yohji saw the blood soaking Kate's shirt sleeve. "Bitch!" he snarled and spun a silver thread out, twisting it around the struggling woman and bringing her down with a hard pull of one arm.

"Remember what you said, Yohji, we need answers," Kate said. "I'm fine so don't kill her yet."

"I don't plan to kill her," he replied as he walked closer, keeping his wire tight.

Aya kept his shields firmly round them all as the telepath tried to lash out again.

Yohji crouched down beside the helpless telepath, the woman glared at him. "I hate to be cruel to women, but..."

"You're all going to die!" she snarled.

"Yes, that's true, everyone does eventually die. Unfortunately for you, you'll be arriving in hell long before we do," Yohji replied. "In the mean time, you'll answer a few questions."

"I won't tell you anything!" she spat.

Yohji's smile was cold, his jade eyes glittering as he leaned closer and whispered, "Oh, I think you will," as he let a trickle of his power slide down the wire.

The telepath screamed, eyes widening with horror.

Kate found it hard to reconcile the two sides of Yohji, the gentle, considerate lover with limitless kindness for his friends and the cold, hard killer she was seeing now. But then again, didn't they all have that same capacity to be two different people?

"Now, we're going to ask you some questions. You are going to answer. If you give us the answers you get to die a fast clean death. If not," he sent another thread of his power down the wire.

"What! What do you want to know!?" she asked, terror coming off of her in black waves of horror that beat at their minds.

"We'll start with what the Crawford clone was supposed to do once he took over," Kate said.

"He was to lure all of you out of hiding and into a trap that our new leaders have devised," she replied quickly.

“So you needed Kei out of the way which is why you switched his pills?” Aya asked. “It didn’t work and your new leaders are going to die.”

"Yes! He should have died in Tokyo, but somehow he survived! I had to come here to make sure he didn't make it."

Yohji glanced at Aya and Kate. "I'd bet they've got a precog, just not a very good one."

“Good enough to know that with Kei’s leadership we’re a serious threat,” Kate said. She turned her attention to the telepath. “Isn’t that right you bitch?”

The woman glared at her but didn't speak.

Yohji let a trickle of his power slide down the wire and the telepath screamed in terror. "Stop, please stop!"

The blond glanced at Aya. "Think you can crack her shields and get to whatever she knows? If I keep nibbling at her soul she's going to die on us and we wouldn't want that would we?"

The Esset telepath was shuddering. "Please, please." She was begging for her life now. These people were killers, but they weren't part of Rosenkreuz so she hoped to the God she didn't really believe in that they would show mercy. Let her live so she could escape, run back to her mistress and make a report. Her superiors needed to know the power these people held.

Especially Kudoh. He was far more dangerous than they'd been led to believe.

“I don’t think she knows as much as she likes to think she does.” Aya’s tone was scathing. “But I guess I could give it a try, just in case.”

Kate smirked. They were learning everyday just how seriously they had underestimated Weiss. The quick conversation between Aya and Yohji was just an example of their skill. They were letting the woman think she was of no good to them at all in the hopes that she might spill all she knew without having Aya go into her mind.

Kate had the feeling that he was still a bit unsure about using his talent as a weapon. If he was he’d better get over it and quickly.

Aya tested the telepath’s shields. As he’d hoped, her terror of Yohji had seriously weakened them and he slid into her mind without a ripple.

Inside her mind he found her fear of Yohji all but blinding her mind, the pain of her dying soul overriding everything else, including her shields.

*Yohji, ease up a little for now so I can read what there is.*

Yohji reined in his power, a shiver passing through him as he pulled it back. He got to his feet and took a step away from the woman, turned his gaze away from Kate, the wire gripped between the fingers of his right hand had turned black as coal.

"I need a cigarette," he muttered.

Aya watched Yohji’s reaction with some concern before he took another look at the woman’s mind. There was another female that she reported to and a belief that Kei and Crawford were the danger men. Yohji had just been added to that list and Aya thought it best if she didn’t have the chance to report that fact back.

He withdrew from her mind and glanced at Jas who still looked as if he’d like to kill someone. “You want to give her a quick, clean death?”

Jas was watching Yohji through narrowed eyes. "Yeah. I'll take care of it and dispose of her remains while you three go back to the house." He took a step closer to Aya and focused his thoughts, trying to reach Aya's mind, *Not to sound like a jackass, but I think Kudoh gets some kind of thrill out of that power of his.*

Aya nodded and let his answer trickle into Jas’ mind. *I think it’s a common trait amongst those with power. Even I am guilty of it.* Aloud he said, “are you going to walk back?”

"Yeah, I could use a little time alone to think," Jas agreed. He was still watching the other blond, remembering his one brief encounter with the other man's devastating and quite lethal power. It had been the worst pain he'd ever felt, having a tiny bit of his soul--what?--devoured?

He paled and grabbed Aya's hand as he realised the truth. *Aya, Kudoh doesn't just kill their souls, I think he absorbs them.*

*Absorbs them?* Aya stared at Yohji as if seeing him for the very first time which in a sense he might be. He frowned. *Maybe someone needs to ask him.*

Yohji let go of the wire, the metal crumbling into grit the instant he released it. He hobbled away, face going a bit grey at the thought that yet another woman was going to die. He had to believe that it was all she deserved, but he was glad he wasn't the one who'd have to kill her.

"I'm going to get in the SUV," he told the other three.

Jas drew a pistol from beneath his jacket. "I'll catch up. Don't worry about me." He turned an emotionless mask on the cowering telepath, the pistol levelled at her.

Kate and Aya turned away, both knowing that Jas was quite capable of dealing with the telepath on his own. They followed Yohji to the SUV and Aya climbed in behind the wheel. “Jas says he’ll walk home.”

Kate nodded but said nothing as she put her arms round Yohji from the back seat. “We need to let Ken sort out that ankle seeing as he was responsible for it.”

"Yeah," Yohji agreed.

A gunshot shattered the bird song and soft tropical breeze and the blond flinched, sighed and leaned into Kate's arms. "When this is over with Rosenkreuz I'm not going to do any more killing," he stated softly.

She squeezed him gently knowing enough about his history to know why he was saying such a thing. She wasn’t sure if DSS would continue after Rosenkreuz, if any of them would even survive that encounter so there was nothing she could say in answer to his statement.

Aya was more forthright. “And do what instead?”

"Lie on a beach and get a tan, Aya. Get married, have kids, have a life that doesn't involve murdering people," Yohji told him. He wrapped his fingers around Kate's wrist and stroked it with his thumb. "I have money. Contrary to what some of you might have thought about me, I didn't blow it. I made some investments. I could raise a family on what I've got if I'm careful and keep reinvesting the excess."

He was speaking to Kate, making an offer, stupid as it seemed, that would let them both walk away from the killing game.

And she knew it. “I can’t give you an answer now, Yohji, much as I want to. We both need to speak to Kei about it and see what he’s decided for the future. I made a solemn oath to him when I joined him and I won’t break it so if he decides we need to carry on after Rosenkreuz, then I will stay with him. I have no choice in the matter,

"There are always choices, Kate." He lifted her hand to his lips and kissed it. "If I have to keep killing to stay with you," he sighed, "then that will be a choice I have to make. Stay or go."

He glanced at Aya from the corner of his eye. "I don't think I should stay in this business. And, to be honest, neither should Ken."

Something suspiciously like a smile crossed Aya’s features. “You don’t count me in that, I notice.” He sobered again. “Nor Omi, and you know that Ken will go wherever he goes.”

"Aya, you're good at it, and you aren't starting to like it the way Ken is, and you aren't ready to kill yourself over it the way I am." He rested his head on Kate's arm and closed his eyes. "I don't want to lose it like I did the night Brad found me, and I sure as hell don't want to see Ken crack and murder Omi some night."

Kate placed a kiss on his temple. “If I know anything at all about Kei, and I like to think I do, I think Ken’s killing days are over. He won’t throw a biokinetic into a battle when the chances are that one or more of us will need him.”

"And that will probably save him from going totally over the edge," Yohji commented. He wanted to sleep, but wasn't sure he'd be able to once they got home. He was tense from all the insanity. The telepath's tampering, the loss of Brad, the mess with Aya, Jas, Kei.

"I wish this was over already."

Kate smiled. “Get Ken to look at your ankle then we can make a start. Kei won’t wait now he’s healed up.”

“Good,” Aya said in some satisfaction. “The sooner we can move the more chance we have of catching them off guard.”


	15. Chapter 15

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Preparations and plans are made.

Kei's gaze swept the assembled members of his killing team, the combination of DSS, Weiss and Schwarz. They were as ready as they would ever be after a week of intense training, information gathering, and preparation.

"I'm going to have a few things to say that some of you aren't going to like. Well too bad. My orders aren't up for alteration or interpretation. You obey or," he turned a cool smile on them, "I'll blow your fucking head off now to save time and trouble."

Schuldig glanced at Farfarello and grimaced. This guy had the same sort of personality as Brad did, obey or die. Strange how he loved it in one man and found it extremely irritating in the other. He would do as he was told though if it meant getting Brad back.

Kei's gaze fell on Jas. "And I'm not excluding my own team from that warning."

Jas just snorted.

"First things first. We know the location where Rosenkreuz has taken Crawford, the exact building is uncertain, but he is at the Schloss in Austria where the Esset Elders formerly resided. Nagi, Omi and Tsuki are almost certain they are holding Crawford in an underground holding cell.

"Our objective is threefold. I'm going to spell it out to make sure we are all clear on the goals. First and foremost, we are taking the entire Schloss out. Permanently. This means everyone there. Your orders are to kill on sight anyone you run into. Second we're to destroy all lab equipment they may have there, especially the computers and paperwork. None of that can be allowed to fall into the hands of anyone else. Third, if we have the opportunity, we'll rescue Crawford. Failing that," he looked right into Schuldig's eyes, "we'll kill him."

“It’s what he would want,” Schuldig said. “He would never allow himself to be a burden to the rest of us.” Of course, by us he meant Schwarz but they would play nice with DSS if it meant getting Brad back… or putting him out of his misery. The twinge of pain that came with that he fought down. He knew what had to be done and if Brad had to die he would soon follow him. As long as he could get Farfarello and Nagi to safety from Rosenkreuz his job would be done.

Yohji saw the flash of pain go through Schuldig's gaze and he slid an arm around the Schwarz telepath. *We'll get him out alive,* he sent, careful not to shout. It was one thing he'd learned to do during their training session, use the tiny bit of telepathy he had to communicate.

Jas shifted his position so that his shoulder was touching Aya. He craved the other man's presence, wanted him near, the other killer acting like an anchor for his tumultuous emotions. Aya was someone he could trust implicitly not only at his back but in his bed.

"Ken, you are out of this fight. You're too valuable to us as a biokinetic for me to let you risk yourself," Kei stated.

"Bullshit," Ken muttered. "What the fuck am I supposed to do? Sit on my ass here and wait for you to come back?"

"No. You'll be going, but you won't be alone. I want you to stick with Jas and Aya. Let them fight. You're along for the ride in case we get to Crawford and find he's injured."

"I'm not going to let those two play nursemaid to me. I'll fight."

Kei levelled an angry stare on the brunet. "I don't want to shoot you, Hidaka, but I will if you force me."

Omi reached out and took one of Ken’s hands in his own, his expression sad yet intent. “Please, Ken-kun. You’ve said so many times that you don’t want to kill anymore. Now you don’t have to. You can heal people instead. Isn’t that better than killing?”

Ken sighed but nodded. "You're right. It's just, the rest of you will be fighting, so it doesn't seem fair."

"You'll be there to help us in a far more important way, Ken," Yohji told him. "You'll be there to keep us from dying. That's something none of us can do."

Aya said nothing but he leaned against Jas’ touch needing the anchorage that the other killer gave him. Whatever anyone else said or thought about their respective futures, he knew that he and Jas would continue in the only work either of them knew. It was just as well that Yohji and he had never become lovers if Yohji needed out as much as he said he did.

Jas surrendered to his need and lay his head against Aya's shoulder not caring that Kei was watching them.

"Jas and Aya will be handling the guards and anyone else. We're dealing with the remnants of Esset and some of Rozen's heavy hitters, you can count on that. Don't trust that anyone you see is a normal person. They aren't. That goes for kids and old people. We kill, we don't have pity or grant mercy on this mission."

He waited to make sure everyone understood that part of the mission, then continued. "Yohji and Schuldig will hit any labs or computers you encounter. I want the data if you can get it, but foremost I want them destroyed completely," he stated. "Farfarello will be protecting Omi who will have a similar mission, find and acquire data. We need to know where every single Esset and Rozen nest is located. My plan is that we wipe them all out in the next few months, or die trying."

Kei turned his attention on Kate. "You and Nagi are to make sure no one man or beast escapes the Schloss, and I mean no one. Not even a dog. Gods alone knows what they might have done to any animals they have there.

"That's another thing, we don't know what we might be up against guard dog wise, so even if it looks like a harmless poodle, kill it."

"I'll head underground and kill anyone who needs to die in the prison cells. If I see Crawford I'll make the judgement of live or die on my own."

Schuldig’s eyes narrowed at the last part. “And what criteria will you be using?”

"How much of him is left physically and mentally," Kei told the telepath. "And I don't want you to see him if they've torn him apart. You don't need that kind of memory to overshadow any good times you might have had."

Farfarello was looking at Kei with new respect. "He's right, Schuldig. You won't use good judgement and you know it."

Schuldig sighed. “I know.” He glanced up at Kei as the last of his words sank in and he knew then that if Brad Crawford was saveable he would bring him out alive. “Danke.”

“You haven’t given Aki or me any orders,” Issei said in his quiet way. “What do you want us to do?”

"Aki and you will be responsible for placing the explosives that are going to blow the entire Schloss to hell once we're out of there. You'll have to work together as a team while the rest of us take care of our objectives." His gaze swept the whole team. "And you'll have to move fast people, because those explosives are going to go off in exactly one hour from the time we hit the place whether we make it out or not."

Aya shrugged. An hour should be more than enough for what they had to do as long as they did it quickly and quietly. Of course there was always the chance that something could go wrong but he trusted both himself, Jas and Ken to get in and get out in the allotted time. He glanced round the room. Nobody was arguing.

"Get some rest. We're leaving in the morning and will reach our destination in Austria and go right to the mission. I don't think we'll get much sleep until we get back to the plane.

"Any questions?" He didn't bother stating that they might not all make it back, or that none of them might come back. That was a given and they all knew the risks.

There were none. They all knew what they were doing and what they were responsible for. It was the best it could get for now and there was no point in worrying about what ifs. They would deal with them if they cropped up. They were all professionals and knew what they were doing.

Kei reached out and took Tsuki's hand. "Good night," he told them as he led his lover out of the living room.

Tsuki followed without a word. The last thing he wanted to talk about or even think about right now was what they would be doing tomorrow. If this was to be the last night he would get to share with Kei he wanted it to be a good one without any talk of what they did for a living or what they had to face.

The instant Kei shoved the door closed behind them he grabbed Tsuki and pinned him to the wall, his mouth closing over Tsuki's, tongue driving into his mouth in a hard thrust, hands gripping his lover's upper arms tightly to keep him from escaping.

All Tsuki could do was groan into the onslaught and cling to Kei’s waist to stop his suddenly weak knees from collapsing under him. This was what he wanted, what he’d always wanted but Hiro had been far too gentle to give it to him.

Kei released Tsuki, stepped away, dark eyes hot with lust. "Bed. Now."

Tsuki’s black eyes were reflecting that lust and he hastened to obey, stripping off his clothes as he went.

Kei stalked slowly in his wake, a predator following his prey, gaze locked on the slender body fleeing for the bed.

Tsuki turned to face Kei before dropping the last of his clothing to the floor and backing onto the bed. There was the slightest hint of a smile on his face as he raised his chin to expose his neck in complete surrender.

Kei took what was offered, mouth latching onto the pale skin, hands gripping Tsuki's upper arms, holding him as he pressed him down onto the bed, his whole weight on the younger man. He sucked, rolled his tongue over the soft skin, marking what was his.

Tsuki moaned arching his fully aroused body at the feel of Kei’s mouth on the sensitive skin of his neck. “Oh, oh yeah.”

Kei sucked harder, bit down, bruising the pale skin, darkening the mark.

Tsuki’s breath was coming in little panting moans by this time. He was wanting, needing, and knowing that this would be played out by Kei’s rules and that was the way he wanted it too. He murmured Kei’s name on a moan.

"Hmmm so eager," Kei murmured against his throat. "Do you know how hot you get me with those little sounds of yours, Tsuki?"

Tsuki smiled. “Do I? And do you like that?”

"Yes you do, and yes I do," Kei replied before he covered Tsuki's mouth with a hard, demanding kiss.

Kei’s kisses were always delicious to Tsuki and he responded with passion, his lust for the older man overwhelming him.

Feather light kisses moved along Tsuki's jaw, down his throat turning to a hard sucking at the juncture of throat and collarbone, tongue laving the spot before Kei's lips moved lower, down his chest to capture a nipple between teeth that bit down just enough to cause a hint of pain.

Tsuki gasped at the sensation of mingled pain and pleasure and his hips bucked furiously the movement both instinctive and beyond his control.

Kei licked the nub of flesh, bit down a second time, licked and kissed his way to the other one and treated it to the same pain-pleasure mixture, the man smiling at his lover's loss of control.

He loved doing this to Tsuki. Loved Tsuki for his weaknesses in bed. Weaknesses that matched his own needs like a katana and saya.

“You really are a bastard, you know,” Tsuki muttered but there was no heat in the words, more admiration. He had been stunned by Kei’s control when still weak and wounded but now the man was fit it was a whole new ball game and one he was happy to play.

"I thought you knew that before you became my lover," Kei remarked as he licked his way down Tsuki's belly.

“In theory, yes, the reality is much more intense. Not that I’m complaining you understand.” He gasped and squirmed as Kei’s tongue found his navel. “That tickles!”

Kei stopped what he was doing, rose off of Tsuki to stare down at him with eyes burning with lust. There was a stern almost angry look on his face. "Do not move. If you move there will be punishment."

* * *

Jas arched into Aya's touch, groaning as his lover engulfed his cock. "Aya, Aya," he moaned and caressed the smooth shoulder, ran the fingers of his left hand through Aya's red hair.

Aya swallowed his treat almost down to the root, his head moving rhythmically as he sucked and licked up and down the length. His free hand strayed up Jas’s body to tweak at a hardened nipple. 

He loved making love to Jas, loved the way the ice cold man was so tender and loving and downright fiery underneath the frost. 

He loved Jas.

Jas groaned, hips and thighs quivering as he forced himself to stay still, kept himself from thrusting wildly into the hot wetness of Aya's mouth.

Aya pulled back and gazed up his lover’s body. “Mine,” he said, before dropping his head to suck again.

The blond grabbed a handful of Aya's hair, pulling the red haired man's mouth off his cock, sat up and glared at his lover before he shoved him down on the futon and rolled on top of him. "Mine!" he stated as he took control of the situation, mouth closing over Aya's in a possessive kiss.

Aya didn’t break off the kiss but he did roll them both back again until Jas was underneath. Only then did he pull his mouth away to say, “Prove it.”

There was a flicker of something dark in Jas' eyes an instant before he grabbed Aya and shoved the man off of him, hand reaching for a coil of rope lying by the futon.

Aya followed the movement of the hand with his eyes and frowned. If Jas thought he was going to be tied up without a fight he was mistaken. 

The blond flicked a coil of rope around Aya and pulled hard, yanking the man off balance.

Aya fell but immediately fought hard to be free, a fist coming up to knock Jas backwards as part of his mind wondered how they’d got from there to here. 

Jas hadn't lost his erection from the impact of his lover's fist. He also hadn't lost control of the rope, and as soon as he had his balance he pulled hard again, trying to keep Aya off his feet.

This time although Aya braced his body, Jas’ movements had been too quick and he collapsed onto the futon again.

The blond killer whipped another coil of rope around Aya with all the finesse of Yohji with a wire, tangling around the other man's legs.

Aya kicked and struggled but only succeeded in tangling himself up even more. 

With his prey helpless, Jas moved in for the conquest, his mouth closing over Aya's in a hard kiss, his right hand pulling the ropes even tighter, left hand closing around Aya's cock.

Aya groaned into the kiss but once Jas had pulled away he smirked up at him. “You see, you must be mine otherwise you wouldn’t want to do any of that.”

"And if you weren't mine would you be lying there on your back waiting for me to fuck you?" Jas countered.

“No,” Aya admitted happily enough. He reached up and pulled Jas’ head down for another searing kiss. “So come on and fuck me already.”

* * *

Farfarello pulled Nagi closer, held the younger man spooned to him, kissed the soft hair. "We'll get Brad back alive. You know we will."

Nagi turned his head to gaze at his psychotic and intelligent lover. “Do you really believe that? I know Weiss are good and DSS are proving themselves to me but even so, we’re a very small group to take on the might of Rosenkreuz in one of their lairs.”

“And we are Schwarz. We've never failed have we?" Farfarello pointed out while also skirting the issue that before they had Crawford to guide them.

“Nor have we gone up against our own kind before.” Nagi turned in his lover’s arms until he was facing him. “Nice try, Farf, but we’ve always had Brad to guide us before.”

"Yes we have. We've fought Weiss, Schrient and the Elders, although Schrient didn't amount to much." He nuzzled Nagi's ear, nibbling at the edge gently then blew across it.

Nagi squirmed and snuggled closer. “Honest opinion, Farf, do you think we’re going to make it? Don’t try sugar coating it because I know when you’re lying.” He snuggled closer. “Though even if we don’t we’ve had a good run.”

"We have you, and Kudoh won't go down without putting up one hell of a fight. The same with Fujimiya and that blond toy of his." He ran his hands over Nagi's belly, caressing him, running his palm down one slender thigh. "As for the rest, I don't know, but I think Kei is a killer through and through. He won't be easy prey for them either."

“Ken will be with Aya and Jas so he should be okay… This is going to sound crazy but I’m worried about Omi and Tsuki. I’ve got to know them both quite well while we’ve been here. I know Omi can kill with ease but I don’t know if Tsuki can and I think he’s going to have to.” He moved under Farfarello’s caressing hand, a low moan coming from his throat.

"I'm sure they'll be all right, but it would have been better if Kei had put someone there to guard them, like Siberian. That was his role on several occasions as I recall from Crawford's briefings."

Farfarello's hand slid upward, fingertips gliding along the silken skin on the inside of Nagi's thigh. He nibbled Nagi's ear again, breathed along the dampened skin.

Nagi squirmed against him, kissing him passionately. “Don’t you die on me either Farf. I need you too much for that.”

"I'm not going to die, Nagi." He returned the kiss, pulling the fragile body against him.

He had to find a way to save Schwarz, and Brad. He knew there was some way to do it, but his mind couldn't quite formulate what he had to do, the solution to their problem remaining just out of reach.

* * * 

“Ken-kun, are you still awake?” Omi was sitting up in the bed they shared hugging his knees and resting his chin on them as he gazed out into the tropical night.

"Nnnn...?" Ken mumbled, half asleep already, his lover's voice pulling him closer to wakefulness.

“Please promise me you’ll let Aya and Jas take on the killing on this mission. I know you’ve had enough of it. Please Ken-kun, don’t do anything rash.” How could he tell his lover that he had such a dreadful feeling about this? That he had nightmares about losing one or more of his ‘family’ every night?

"I don't even know why I'm going to be with them anyway. I should be with you and Tsuki," Ken replied. He yawned and sat up, glanced bleary-eyed at the clock. "You should go to sleep, Omi. Jet lag is going to be bad enough without a sleepless night on top of it."

“I think they’re meant to look after you. I mean what if some of us got hurt badly? You’d be able to fix it. Nobody else can do that.”

"Well I'd rather be looking after you and not watching the pair of them kill everything that moves that isn't us," he retorted his tone more strident than he'd intended.

Omi sighed. “I don’t need looking after, Ken-kun, and one day you’ll realise this.”

Ken sighed and flopped down on the bed. "They don't want me killing, but they're perfectly willing to make me watch those two bastards murdering who knows how many people. I don't know if I can do it, Omi. And yes, at some level I understand they're dangerous, but so are we. What gives us the right to kill them will you tell me that?"

“Never let the bad ones live, Ken-kun, and those Essett and Rosenkruez people are bad through and through, or have you forgotten what Akira was forced to do to his friend?” He was silent for a moment then whispered, “I sometimes think I should never have been allowed to grow up. Unlike you, or Yohji-kun, I have no remorse about killing. I was like those kids in Rosenkruez’s school and it’s left its mark on me. Deep inside me, there’s nothing.”

"I know, Omi. I've seen it in your eyes," Ken admitted as he tried to tug the younger man down into bed. "Yohji only regrets the women he's killed, or failed to protect. Me, I regret every life I've taken, including the fact that I killed Kase."

“And yet you still love me, despite my empty soul? Why Ken-kun?” He let himself be pulled down into the bed and curled against Ken.

"Because I'm as empty inside as you are, Omi." He kissed the blond hair and closed his eyes. "Sometimes I feel like I'll blow away like ashes in the wind. I wish I could, it would be better for you if I was gone."

“No Ken-kun! That’s not true. I need you to keep me human.” There were unshed tears in his eyes. “I’m so very afraid of becoming Takatori Mamoru.”

Ken didn't reply, he just pulled Omi closer and closed his eyes because he knew there was something worse than any Takatori lurking in his own soul.

* * *

Aki sat on his bed, staring at the darkness beyond his bedroom window, wondering how many more dawns he'd live to see. How many times they would have to run the gauntlet and face down Rosenkreuz and the leashed dogs of Esset.

Dogs isn't the right word. They're monsters. All of them. Kei's right, they all have to die....

What does he plan to do with Schwarz once this is over? Will he turn on them and take them down too? Aki had his suspicions, but he'd keep thoughts like that under wraps for fear that Schuldig would pick up on them. He didn't want to reveal Kei's hidden agenda if it existed.

Knowing Kei, it probably did. His ingrained hatred of everything Rosenkreuz and Esset ran too deep for Aki to think otherwise.

Though, if he was alive, Brad would make an excellent asset for them. He also had to admit that the other three were quite useful.

Maybe he won't kill them.

He sighed, rubbed his eyes and forced himself to think about the mission against the Schloss. Blowing the place to bits wasn't going to be simple. The main structural supports were holding up the weight of what, essentially, boiled down to a castle. He'd never done anything built like it before, and from the plans he'd been given, the job would take more explosives in each bomb than he typically used.

And that meant increased risks.

He wrapped his arms around himself, and wondered where Issei had gone, whether the other man could sleep, or if he was lying awake in bed worrying about the mission too.

There was a knock on Aki’s door before it opened and Issei poked his head round it. “Are you awake, Aki?”

"I'm awake, and trying to decide how we can take that castle down in the most efficient way possible. I've never destroyed anything that big before, and the fact it's built of mortared stone, on a solid stone foundation is going to be a huge challenge," Aki admitted. "I'm worried I won't make the charges powerful enough and then it won't come totally down. If I don't get it right, Kei..." he sighed. "Well you know how he is."

Issei nodded. They all knew, only too well, just how much of a perfectionist Kei was. “Make them big, Aki. I’ll be there to help you carry and place them.”

He hesitated for a moment then sat down next to Aki and put an arm round his shoulders. “I’m not sure about you but I don’t really want to be alone tonight. This isn’t like a normal mission.”

Aki turned into the man's touch, pressed his lips to Issei's replying with the kiss rather than words.

Issei froze for a second or two then remembered this was Aki and returned the kiss. It wasn’t long before the kiss aroused sensations that he’d thought long buried.

Aki slipped into Issei's lap his arms and legs wrapping around the taller man, the drummer deepening the kiss, wanting someone to comfort him. He didn't want to be alone. Not when they all might be dead soon.

Issei’s hold tightened and he moaned Aki’s name into the kiss. He’d wanted the pretty little drummer for so long now that he didn’t know if he could control himself, if he wanted to control himself. But he would not treat Aki the way he’d been treated and yet what else did he know?

Aki broke the kiss, stared into Issei's eyes, his own gaze heated, full of need. "Please, Issei. I've wanted you for a long time now and, it has to be tonight. We're out of time and I don't want to regret never saying this. If we have to die I want to do it knowing I had a few precious moments of joy with you."

Issei crushed Aki to him, the thought of the beautiful drummer dead and covered in blood stabbing through his mind like Jas’ katana. Aki was right, it had to be now, tonight and it had to be loving and…

He released Aki enough to guide one of his hands to the bulge in his jeans so he could feel how much he wanted him. “I’m not good with words or emotions anymore but I need you too, Aki, my beautiful Hana-chan.”

Aki rubbed his hand against Issei's erection, getting a good feel of the hard flesh, the size of his soon to be lover's cock. It was impressive, almost as big as Kei's, and hard as stone.

"I want to feel this inside me, Issei. Do you think..." he hesitated, looked up at the other man, "do you want that too? I'm not much good as a top, but if you want I could try."

“We’re neither of us good at topping then,” Issei said with a sigh, “but I want to give you whatever you want, tonight and every other night.”

* * *

Schuldig tried to stay away from Yohji, knowing the blond was with Kate and that was where he needed to be for his own healing. However, the voices in Schuldig’s head were stronger tonight, overwhelming him. He knew it was his own fault for keeping his shields at minimum in case Brad called him again, for reaching out with his own mind in an attempt to pick up anything that would tell him his lover was still alive. Now it was too much and he needed Yohji close to keep the voices at bay.

He stopped outside Yohji’s door and knocked softly.

Yohji was kissing his way along Kate's flat stomach, his tongue flicking into her navel when he heard the knock.

He sighed, silently fuming that anyone would have the nerve to bother them tonight. "I'm busy!"

Outside the door, Schuldig’s shoulders slumped. “Sorry, Kudoh, I’ll leave you to it.”

"Shit." Yohji looked at Kate. "Sorry Kate, I'll find out what he wants and be right back."

Kate nodded. Schuldig had sounded desperate to her ears.

He didn't even bother with a sheet, going to the door erect and totally nude. Schuldig had seen it all anyway, touched it too for that matter.

The door opened and Schuldig turned back to gaze at Yohji. He stumbled forward a step towards the blond his hand reaching to touch any bit of skin he could find. He found a bicep and blessed silence.

Yohji knew what was wrong the instant he saw Schuldig's corpse white face and the lines of pain at the corners of his mouth. He gathered the red-head into his arms and picked him up, "Kate he's in trouble, his shields are gone."

That served as warning that he intended to bring Schuldig into the room with him which was exactly what he did, picking the telepath up, the muscles in his back and arms showing the strain of lifting another man almost as big as he was. He carried Schuldig to the bed and lay him down beside Kate, jade eyes full of worry.

"This isn't good. Part of the mission hinges on him and he's a mess."

“My own stupid fault,” Schuldig muttered. “I wanted to hear Brad again. Sorry, Yotan.”

Kate’s lips twitched. “Yotan? It suits you.” She glanced at Schuldig. “He needs to stay with you for the night I think.”

"Yeah, or he's going to lose what's left of his mind," Yohji agreed and gave Kate a wry smile. "He and Brad call me Yotan, I never asked why." He shrugged, "I guess I sort of like it."

He sat down on the bed beside Schuldig, brushed the fire coloured hair from the man's pained blue eyes. "You'll be all right, Schu. You can stay with us."

Watching Schuldig from the corner of his eye, he leaned across the telepath and pressed a gentle kiss to Kate's mouth. What Schuldig needed was a distraction, something to redirect his mind away from the mad riot of the voices trying to invade his mind.

And Yohji suspected he knew just what the German needed. Especially if they were going to find some way to keep him with them in the event Brad died.

At first angry at this treatment in front of the telepath, Kate frowned at Yohji before glancing at Schuldig. She felt the strength of his feelings for Crawford and the very minor echo for Yohji. There was also some lust there and a renewed interest in her.

“I am not going to be the meat in this sandwich,” she said firmly. “Sort out who is amongst yourselves.”

"That's easy, it's me," Yohji replied. "No one but Brad is allowed to fuck Schu."

“Just as well really, as nobody but you is allowed to fuck me!” 

"Good then, we're all happy. I get to be in you and have a telepath up my ass and in my head. Talk about a total fuckrush." He grinned.

Schuldig chuckled. "Ack you have a feisty Fraulein there, Kudoh."

"You'd better believe it Schuldig." But there was a twinkle in her spring leaf coloured eyes as she spoke. None of them should be alone on this particular night.

"Oh hell yeah, Schu, and I wouldn't have her any different either. She's perfection the way she is." He kissed Kate again and turned his attention to the German. "You're overdressed, Schuldig."

Never one to waste time when sex was being offered Yohji reached for the buttons of Schuldig's shirt.

“It didn’t seem like such a good idea to wander round the house naked,” Schuldig said as he sloughed off his pants. He stopped suddenly, still as a statue as he gazed at Kate. “An empath,” he whispered to himself, “I wonder…”

“What do you wonder?” Kate’s tone was snappish until he let her see what he had in mind. Her eyes widened then she grinned. “Could be fun,” she agreed.

"Oh I'm in for it now, aren't I?" Yohji asked and grinned at them. "Yeah, babe, this might be a lot of fun at that," he added and leaned down to kiss Schuldig as he pulled the man's shirt open to reveal sleek muscles.

Schuldig shrugged the shirt off his shoulders as he arched up on his elbows to return the kiss. 

Kate’s eyes widened as she watched the two hot and handsome men kiss. This could be even more fun than she’d realised. She let Schuldig read her emotions at the sight and pass them on to Yohji.

Yohji's breath caught and he deepened the kiss with Schuldig, putting his arms around the red-haired man and pulling him close.

It could work, the three of them and it would give them all what they needed.


	16. Chapter 16

Chapter 16

There was a lot to be said for a private jet on a long flight, not least was the ability to spread out the ground plans for the schloss. Issei and Aki were staring at them as they tried to figure out exactly where and how to set the explosions up so they would destroy the place an hour after arrival. 

Issei’s arm was rested round the smaller man as they studied the plans and he could feel the tension in the beautiful drummer’s body. “Any thoughts?” he murmured, careful not to wake those who were grabbing a chance at sleep.

"My main thought at the moment is how much C4 to use on the supports to make sure the whole thing comes down. I've never had to blow something this big before, and I'm worried I'll underestimate what's needed to do the job," Aki replied.

By the spread out plans Issei could see a pad where Aki had made an attempt to do the calculations on the explosive charges, but every one was scribbled out.

He took hold of Aki’s restless hands and held them still as he gazed sternly at the smaller man. “Listen to me, Aki, you know how to do this. I’ve seen you take down skyscrapers by putting the explosives on the right structural supports. We need to find the weak supports and utilize them. And you’ve said it yourself, every building has weak points.”

"Skyscrapers are different, Issei. I know how to take those down. I understand their construction. This is a castle, and..." panic filled the young man's eyes, "I don't understand how they're built."

Issei frowned as he thought about the problem then the frown cleared as he had an idea. “Maybe Nagi’s talent could find the weak points.”

"But we can't wait until we get there to make the charges. We're not going to have time to mess with that after we arrive." Aki leaned into the comfort of Issei's warmth. "I can stare at the plans until my brain goes numb, but not knowing what kind of stone, or if the place is reinforced with iron or steel leaves me in the dark."

“Aki, this place was built in 1492. It won’t be reinforced with anything as there is no concrete involved. It’ll be stone and wood. Not even mortar. Stonemasons would have cut the blocks to fit snugly against each other and hold each other up. The floors, stairs and roof are wood according to these plans. Lay charges against one or two blocks to shift them enough and the whole lot will come down like a house of cards.”

"But can we trust the plans? Who knows what's been done to that place in the last half millennium? Or after Esset and Rosenkreuz took it over? Do you think they left it as is?" Aki asked, anxious over making charges for the place as the plans showed it, then getting there and finding steel beams or other modern construction added to the original work.

"I mean think about it, Issei, if Kei took over a place like that, what do you think he'd do to it in order to make it secure?"  
“Kei wouldn’t take a place like that in the first place. He knows his history, especially of warfare and he knows how easy it was for Oliver Cromwell to destroy Royalist castles during the English civil war. All he had was cannons and catapults hurling very large boulders at the walls.”

"Yes and you don't see most people carrying cannons or catapults anymore, it's all explosives and small arms, grenade launchers and man carried missiles. They'll do damage, but I don't know about bringing that place down, Issei. It's massive and.. I just don't know if you're right or not."

A deep voice they both knew well spoke from behind them, "You know how to do it Aki, just double the power of the charges and hit all the main supports."

Issei glanced up at Kei, as always, surprised by how soothing just a sentence or two from him could be. He had a sudden idea. “We can always send the cable car back up with a nasty surprise in it too.”

Kei stepped closer to the men and rested a hand on Aki's shoulder. "Stop worrying, Akira, you'll do your usual impeccable job." He turned his piercing gaze on Issei. "Make sure he gets some sleep, please. I don't want him exhausted when we arrive."

"I'm okay," Aki began, then closed his mouth not willing to get into trouble with their leader for talking back.

Issei snorted. “Yeah, sure you are. You’re worrying yourself sick. Kei’s right. Sleep time for little bomb makers.”

Aki opened his mouth to say he still needed to work out the amount, but the fingers on his shoulders dug in slightly as a warning. "Okay, I'm going."

He got up and headed for the small sleeping cabin that he used on their flights, but not before he noticed the blank mask of Kei's face. No emotion leaked through and Aki wondered what Kei might be thinking.

On second thought I don't want to know.

* * *

Kei didn't even glance at Issei, he opened the small bar and poured himself a finger of whiskey. He dropped a cube of ice in it and took a seat by a window, staring out into the darkness.

He took a sip of the fiery liquid, letting it burn down his throat, carefully keeping his mind as blank as he could until all traces of doubt and worry were gone.

"You should get some sleep, too," he finally said to Issei.

Issei snorted. “And you shouldn’t?” He knew better than to argue though and soon stood up to make his way to the sleeping area.

Tsuki raised his head from the bank of seats he’d been spread out on, took one look at Kei and frowned. “You should be asleep,” he said quietly.

"No," Kei replied.

Kei swallowed another sip of the liquor and leaned back in the seat.

He didn't want to think. Didn't want to go over all the things that could go wrong, who could die on their self appointed mission to bring Rosenkruez down in flames.

And then the matter of Crawford remained.

Was it even worth trying to get the man out? Wouldn't it be better for them if he died?

Kei knew well what trouble having the real Crawford with them would create among the group. They were just finding the ability to work together, adding Crawford to the mix would create strife.

Most of it between Crawford and him.

Tsuki sat up and moved over so he could sit next to his lover. He took hold of the empty hand and felt how it trembled minutely. The man was thinking too much, seeing everything that could go wrong. “It’ll be fine,” he said. “We all know what we have to do and we’re all professionals.” He was silent for a moment. “It might be wisest to simply kill Crawford.”

Unreadable dark eyes turned to regard Tsuki. "I know. But so long as I don't think about it, or talk about it, Schuldig can continue with his hope that Crawford will come out of this alive. I don't want to take that from him, or any of Schwarz."

Tsuki nodded but said, “I think even they trust you to do the right thing for us all, Kei. I know the rest of us do, even Kudoh.”

Kei grunted in response to that. "I'm half tempted to let him live. If we could reach an accord, he'd make a good second for me, Tsuki. As it is, I carry all this alone. Some days..." he took another drink and said left what he'd been about to say unsaid.

Tsuki suddenly realised what was really bothering Kei. Hisato had been the one he’d been able to talk things through with, had been that second. Jas was too neurotic while Kate was too emotionally attached to them all for either of them to make good seconds. He just wasn’t certain that Crawford would be any better if the clone had had the same personality as the original. 

He felt helpless but squeezed Kei’s hand in an effort to impart all that he felt.

Kei downed the rest of his drink, stared at the empty glass, held it out to Tsuki. "Get me another? Please?"

Don't think. Don't think. You can't let anything distract you.

Dead eyes staring at him. A slack mouth that would never spout off smart remarks. A mind that wouldn't be around to help him with all the problems they were facing.

His chest felt tight, his throat felt as if someone was choking him, cutting off his ability to swallow, to breathe.

He clutched the armrest, knuckles going white.

If the real Crawford had been with us he would have known and we could have...

You can't go back and what ifs are worth nothing. He's dead, that's the end of it.

And now you're alone. For the first time there's no one to help you decide, no one to tell you when you're being a fool. There's no one to point out the flaws in my plans.

If I believed in God, I'd hate him for this.

Tsuki poured Kei another whiskey his expression thoughtful as he watched the man. His lover needed to mourn properly but circumstances weren’t giving him the time to do so. He was also concerned that he’d been given nothing to do in the briefing. He was likely to get his head bitten off for mentioning it but he was not prepared to stay safe while the rest of them went into danger.

He dropped an ice cube into the spirit and poured himself a gin and tonic while he was there. If he was going to bring up the subject he needed some alcohol in him.  
He returned to his seat and handed Kei his whiskey. He took a sip of his own drink.

“You didn’t give me anything to do, Kei,” he said, “and as much as I respect Kudoh and Schuldig’s skills as assassins, I doubt if either of them knows one end of a computer from the other. You might have done better to send Nagi and I in and left them with Kate on clean up. Or one with her and one as lookout for us.”

Kei stared straight ahead. He'd known he'd left Tsuki out, had done so for a reason, but he'd forgotten to tell Tsuki what he would be doing. He sighed, rubbed his temple with his free hand. "You weren't left out, I just..." he shook his head. "I want you to monitor transmissions, computer and digital signals and scramble them."

That had been Hisato's main duty on missions like this, take out all communications.

I can face this. I can deal with this. He's gone. I won't ever talk to him again.

The tightness threatened to suffocate him, and a soft sound, almost a whimper slipped from between his tightly compressed lips.

I will not cry.

Tsuki put his drink down and put an arm round Kei. Fuck giving him space, he needs to cry.

Kei pushed him away, downed his drink and stood. "I'm not a child, Tsuki," he growled out the words, fighting the urge to give in. To let his emotions rule.

He wasn't Jason or Yohji. He was stronger than that. His mind ruled his body. Not emotions. Never emotions.

"Go to bed," he snarled at the other man. His lover. Lover...

Angry with himself he slapped Tsuki's cheek lightly. "I said get out!"

“It may have escaped your notice, but we’re in a plane about eight miles up in the air, so forgive me if I don’t get out!” Black eyes blazed as Tsuki fought to keep hold of his temper.

Kei shoved Tsuki and stalked away, angry, breathing hard, shaking.

He closed his eyes, stood there aware of the plane's motion, the presence of the other man so close.

He wanted to beat Tsuki, wanted to throw him down and fuck him bloody.

Instead he sank into a different seat and pressed his hands to his temples, wondering why he was losing control.

I'm getting as bad as Jason. Hisato's dead. We always knew we'd die young. Why am I acting this way?

The pain in his chest got worse and he pressed his palm over his heart, trying to make it stop, trying to fight the black despair tearing at him.

Tsuki downed his drink in one long swallow before setting the glass back down on the bar and going back to his original bank of seats to lie down. He knew sleep wouldn’t come now, he was too aware of Kei’s silent presence, but he closed his eyes anyway.

Kei sat up, shut his eyes and focused on the simple act of breathing until the pain and tension drained away.

He got up, went to Tsuki, stood over him then sank to his knees to wrap his arms around the other man in the closest thing to I'm sorry he could manage.

Tsuki’s eyes snapped open in surprise but his arms reached out to Kei, to hold him close in return.

Kei said nothing, but his arms tightened around Tsuki.

Tsuki didn’t say a word but placed a gentle kiss on Kei’s cheek. He loved the man too much to stay angry with him.

Kei pressed his face into Tsuki's hair, breathing in his lover's scent, feeling his warmth.

At least being in charge of knocking out communications will keep Tsuki out of danger. At least I know he'll be safe, even if I don't make it out.

Tsuki moved over and urged Kei to lie down next to him. They were still holding each other close when the cabin lightened with the first rays of dawn.

I might never get to tell him if I don't do it now.

Kei pulled Tsuki upright, looked the younger man in the eyes. "I love you, Tsuki. I wanted you to know that."

Tsuki’s smile rivalled the dawn in intensity. “I know,” he said softly, “you show it in the things you do. I love you too, so stay safe tonight.”

Kei kissed Tsuki, his hands running down his lover's back, cupping his buttocks and pulling him forward until he slipped out of the seat into Kei's lap.

Tsuki moaned very softly as he returned the kiss, his long fingers tangling in Kei’s hair.

Kei's arms tightened around him as he deepened the kiss.

Tsuki clung to him in return as he made appreciative little sounds deep in his throat.

Kei shifted his position and lifted Tsuki back into the seat before he ended the kiss. “I want you, Tsuki. I don't care if anyone hears us, or walks in on us. I want you.”

Tsuki blushed, a rare occurrence, but he nodded his head. “I’m yours, Kei, to do whatever you want with.”

Kei's lips twitched almost forming a smile. “You should really be careful about what you say to me, Tsuki. Some things I can think of you might not like, or really want me to do.”

Tsuki’s black eyes widened in an almost innocent expression – almost - as his mouth had formed a smirk. “You think I don’t know that? I’ve known from the start. It’s why you attracted me in the first place.”

Kei's dark eyes widened slightly at Tsuki's words. He leaned in close and whispered, “So you wouldn't mind if I set my mark into you as a reminder that you're mine?” His lips brushed the side of Tsuki's neck and he whispered, “Because once you're mine, you're mine forever, even if I stop wanting you.”

“Whether I mind or not, doesn’t matter. We both know that,” Tsuki said. 

Kei's soft laughter tickled Tsuki as his lover's lips moved along the side of his neck. “You're right, it doesn't. You've agreed to be mine, to let me do anything I want.” He nipped the soft skin. “And that was a dangerous thing to say to me, Tsuki.”

Kei's hands gripped Tsuki's shirt and tore it open. “I hope you brought other clothes.”

Tsuki nodded. “I’ve got my mission gear and a change for after we’re done.”

“Good,” Kei replied as he tossed what remained of Tsuki's shirt aside. “Which reminds me, I'm going to take you shopping when we're done with the destruction of all things Esset and Rosenkruez. I want you dressed to please me in the future.”

Kei reached down to his boot and removed a knife. The blade had the same rippled pattern normally seen on a katana, which meant it was well made and since it belonged to Kei, it was probably sharp enough to shave with.

Tsuki held still, wondering which part of his anatomy Kei intended to use the knife on. Knowing Kei, if he wanted to brand him it would be somewhere the whole world could see. Or would it? There was also that intensely private side to his lover. As long as he wasn’t going to be castrated, he didn’t much care.

The cool tip of the knife touched his chest, then Kei turned it so that only the flat of the blade touched Tsuki's flesh. It slid downward over his exposed flesh until it reached the waistband of his pants. A quick flick of Kei's wrist and Tsuki felt the cloth around his middle give as the fabric yielded to the sharp edge.

I guess I won’t be wearing those anymore. I wonder what sort of clothes he’ll want to put me in. Tsuki frowned. I bet he makes me get rid of the Lolita stuff. Ah well, it’ll be worth it.

Although his mind was busy with thoughts, his body remained perfectly still except for his adrenaline fuelled heartbeat.

Kei gripped one of Tsuki's ankles and pulled so his lover slumped in the seat. The shoes on Tsuki's feet were removed and tossed somewhere in the cabin.

Kei's eyes met Tsuki's and, without glancing down to see what he was doing, Kei flicked the knife along Tsuki's groin cutting the fabric by the zipper so that the crotch of the pants spread open.

The knife hadn't nicked Tsuki's tender flesh, despite the fact Kei's gaze remained locked with Tsuki's eyes.

Tsuki stared back, heart thumping but otherwise completely relaxed, knowing he had to keep still. Gods, how I love him.

Kei rammed the knife into the seat beside Tsuki's left ear, the blade puncturing the material and going into the back with a loud pop and a soft metallic squeal.

He yanked Tsuki to his feet, gripped the waistband of Tsuki's pants with both hands and pulled, tearing the material until his entire groin was exposed. He spun Tsuki around and yanked the blade from the seat. The back of Tsuki's pants opened under the expert touch of the blade in Kei's hands, exposing his behind to the cool air.

Kei shoved Tsuki, forcing him to grip the back of the seat or fall over it.

Tsuki made a grab for the seat back, not wanting the indignity of landing in a heap. He spread his legs apart for balance.

He heard the unmistakable noise of a zipper sliding down, followed by the sound of something tearing, A hand hit him between the shoulders, forcing him to bend at the waist.

For a few frantic beats of his heart, nothing happened, then leather gloved hands gripped his hips and pulled them back. Slick and hard, Kei's cock slipped between his butt cheeks and nudged the tight ring of muscles that gave entrance to his body. Then the stiff rod of Kei's cock was inside him in one, fast, merciless thrust.

Tsuki was pushed forward by the thrust until his chin hit the upholstery of the seat. This was what he wanted, pain and pleasure all rolled into one. He arched his back like a cat and pushed back against the thrust, impaling himself.

The gloved hands moved, gliding around to caress his chest as the cock inside him slid out, the motion slow torture to a body that wanted the pleasure of being fucked.

Tsuki groaned in need but knew better than to voice any wants or desires. He had to wait on Kei’s next move and he understood that instinctively. But it was hard not to beg.

The gloved hands slid along his chest, over his belly coming close, but never touching his aching cock. Kei's hips barely moved as his cock slid in and out, the pace so slow it gave little pleasure. The touch on his body, and the cock inside him increased Tsuki's need to the point of desperation. 

“Kei, please,” he said, finally giving into the need to beg for what he wanted. 

“Shhhh....” Gloved fingers pinched his left nipple, hard, giving pain. Kei's teeth grazed the nape of his neck but the pace of the thrusts into Tsuki's needy body didn't change.

Tsuki’s breath hitched at the tweak to his nipple and he moved his head slightly giving Kei better access to his neck but he kept his mouth firmly shut.

The teeth moved from the nape of his neck to the arch of his shoulder. They closed on flesh, bit down as the fingers on his nipple twisted and pinched harder.

Kei's other hand moved down Tsuki's side, stopping on his hip. The contact went away to be instantly followed by a hard smack to his flank.

Tsuki lurched as multiple jolts of pain/pleasure shot through him. He gasped at the sensations, enjoying them yet also apprehensive about how far Kei would go.

The teeth pressed harder into his skin. Hard enough to bruise, but not draw blood. The fingers let go of his nipple, Kei's hand moved across his chest to the other nipple, the tip of one finger flicked across the nub.

Tsuki moaned softly. The mixture of Kei’s hard rod inside him, the gloved hands on his skin and the teeth worrying at his shoulder was intense and almost excruciatingly pleasurable. He needed this, needed to be dominated, controlled and sometimes hurt to really enjoy himself. Kei gave him everything he needed and more and he loved him for it.

The hard flesh slid out until only the head of Kei's cock remained inside of Tsuki. The teeth on his shoulder bit down even harder, right at the brink of drawing blood, then they eased up and Kei's tongue swept across the bruise, soothing the pain with the gentle touch of the firm wet flesh.

The teeth closed on the mark and bit down as the hardness inside Tsuki surged deep in a swift thrust.

Tsuki bit down hard on his lower lip to stop himself from screaming out his pleasure and waking everyone else on the jet up. He pushed his hips back, welcoming the thrust.

Kei's gloved hands moved down his body to grip his hips. The man's teeth let go and he whispered, “You're mine. Mine forever,” as his cock slid out only to slam home deep inside Tsuki's body.

The words thrilled Tsuki to his core and he murmured, “Yours forever,” in complete agreement. He was close to coming due to the sensory overload but knew instinctively he needed to wait for permission to climax. Far from bothering him, the knowledge made him feel cherished.

The stiff cock inside him slid out, plunged inward as Kei's left hand lifted from his hip to come down on it in a punishing smack that sounded like the crack of a gunshot, and hurt worse than anything Kei had done to him... so far.

Tsuki’s body shuddered at the impact and he groaned quietly but not in pain. This was what he’d always wanted from his lovers, the sting of pain to drive the pleasure home.

Kei's erection moved out then in with an abrupt motion that sent a cascade of bright white sparks through Tsuki. Kei's hand impacted on his hip a second time then that hardness he wanted inside him was moving, fast and hard in and out at a pace guaranteed to drive Tsuki over the edge.

Tsuki whimpered as his balls tightened and he moved to meet Kei’s thrusts. “Gonna come,” he whispered.

Kei's lips brushed across the nape of his neck, and warm breath tickled the damp skin as Kei said, “Not until I say so, you aren't.”

Tsuki bowed his head in acquiescence and concentrated on not coming before Kei let him. He started counting from two hundred, backwards, anything to stop the urge to ejaculate.

“Such a good boy,” Kei murmured into his ear. Teeth took hold of Tsuki's earlobe and bit down gently before Kei began sucking on the little bit of flesh.

The thrusts of Kei's cock inside him sped up, driving every effort to concentrate on anything but the feeling right from Tsuki's mind.

“Bastard,” Tsuki muttered without any heat, the word a term of endearment almost, before he tightened his anal muscles round Kei’s cock in an attempt to make his lover come.

Kei chuckled and gave Tsuki another punishing swat on his hip. “Such a naughty boy. I'm going to have to train you to behave when I have the chance. Fortunately for you,” Kei groaned then spoke again, “I don't have the time right now.”

Kei's cock slammed in and out of Tsuki. Strong arms wrapped around Tsuki's waist and Kei's teeth closed on his shoulder. If his ragged breaths and the soft moans coming from him were an accurate indication, Kei was close to the edge.

Smiling at the promise of being ‘trained’, Tsuki gave Kei what he wanted. “Please, Kei, make us both come.”

Leather covered fingers wrapped around his cock in a firm grip. Kei stroked his cock in rough counterpoint to his thrusts.

“Show me how much you love me, Tsuki,” Kei gasped as he pounded into Tsuki's ass.

Tsuki gasped as he spurted hard and fast over Kei’s gloved hand. “Gods, Kei,” he gasped. It felt as if he was coming forever as wave upon wave of feeling assaulted him. “I love you so much.”

Kei's arms tightened around Tsuki and the man shuddered, gave a barely audible gasp and then stood there silent, simply holding him as his lips brushed in a series of gentle kisses across Tsuki's bitten shoulder.

Tsuki remained still and silent, savouring the kisses and getting his breathing back to somewhere near normal.

Kei let him go, a gloved hand patted his behind. “Go clean up, find some clothes and get dressed,” Kei instructed as he sank into the nearest chair.

He looked tired to Tsuki, or maybe it was worry lurking in Kei's dark eyes, it was hard to tell with Kei since he hid his emotions all too well.

Tsuki gathered the cut up remains of his clothing and headed for the jet’s small bathroom. He picked up the bag containing his mission gear on the way and hoped that Kei would be able to get some rest before the plane landed.

He dropped the ruined clothes in the trash, washed off and changed into his mission gear. When he returned to the main cabin he found Kei stretched out over the bank of seats with his eyes closed. He stashed his bag and stretched out on a nearby bank of seats, happy and contented on one level but concerned for the team on another.

Kei was mourning Hisato but unable to give himself the time he needed, Aki was still guilt-ridden over pulling the trigger, Issei was coming out of his shell to protect the little drummer which was good, Jas was involved with Aya who seemed content to take Kei’s orders, also good, and Kate appeared to have saved Yohji on some level. Omi hid his darkness beneath a veneer of cheerfulness and Ken was similar to Farfarello and just as prone to losing himself to the bloodlust. It was as well he was a healer and would be kept away from the killing wherever possible. Nagi was intense but with a strong core of common sense despite his almost godlike power. Schuldig was a mess without Crawford who Kei might well have to kill.

Tsuki sighed and closed his eyes, hoping he could get some sleep.


	17. Chapter 17

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> First an apology for not updating before.
> 
> Second we are back to writing this monstrosity so there will be more updates.
> 
> Last, but not least, this chapter is rather violent and horror-filled. Be warned.

The plane had landed an hour earlier and now they were in the cars heading for what might well be the last mission any of them undertook.

Jas glanced at Aya sitting next to him in the passenger's seat of the German made sport's car that had been waiting in the airport parking lot for their use.

Yohji, Kate, Farfarello and Nagi were in the car right behind them while directly ahead of them Kei drove another car with Omi and Tsuki inside. Aki, Issei and Schu were in a car right behind the one Yohji was driving. Ken brought up the rear on the motorcycle Kei had provided for him, though why the former soccer player was on a cycle, riding alone was anyone's guess.

Aya stared through the windscreen at the beautiful, mountainous terrain. He was very obviously in mission mode, Jas thought, until the redhead’s left hand reached out and touched his thigh. “One hour. It’s as well Schuldig taught me how to use my power offensively without getting sucked into an enemies’ mind.”

Jas let go of the wheel with his left hand and lay it over Aya's hand where it rested on his thigh. He closed his fingers and squeezed his lover's hand gently. “We'll be all right,” he said, giving reassurance to Aya that he didn't actually believe. They were going up against who knew how many psychic talents who also happened to be trained killers.

Personally Jas didn't give them better than a twenty percent chance of getting out, much less actually accomplishing the mission successfully.

Aya returned the pressure on his fingers but shook his head. “Believe it or not, I’ve gone in against worse odds. As long as we all keep our heads and do our jobs quickly and efficiently we have a chance of succeeding.” He grinned, the expression wry. “Not a huge chance, but a chance. That’s all people like us need.”

“Worse odds when the people you're fighting are all psychic?” Jas shook his head. “I want to think we've got a chance, Aya, but I'm too much a realist to think any of us are walking out of this mission alive.”

Aya turned his head to look at him then and Jas could see the determination in the violet eyes. “We’re going up against a research facility, not the main school and there are enough psychics on our side to make things more even. I think we’ll see more guards with Dobermans and scientists than we will psychic agents.”

“I hope you're right Aya, but...” He had to let go of Aya's hand to downshift as they hit a section of sharply curved road. He sighed. “I've been thinking about it and... well what if they've forced Crawford to tell them things. Things about the future. Specifically when we're going to arrive and how best to beat us.”

Aya chuckled suddenly. “Of course! They probably will have tried that and, knowing just how devious Crawford is he would have told them a pack of lies to make them look the other way. Schuldig said his shields are so strong he’s almost impossible to read and that even if a telepath does get in, his mind works differently to others and is really confusing. That’s probably down to the visions.”

“I don't trust him,” Jas remarked. “He was one of Esset's errand boys for years, and, as even Schuldig pointed out, he's a devious bastard. I'd be willing to bet he's setting us up for the kill.”

Aya was silent for long moments as he stared out through the windscreen. “In actual fact he was never Esset’s errand boy,” he said. “He handed us the whole Takatori family on a plate in his own strange way, he and Schwarz went up against the Elders and the only reason he fought us at the Ani Museum was to get us all in positions where Nagi could save our hides. 

“Ok, I admit Schuldig messed with Omi’s mind but, he is a Takatori even though he won’t behave like the rest of them and Ouka needed to die. She was her father’s daughter through and through.

“He and Schuldig trained Nagi so he’d never have to go near the Rosen ‘school’ which is why the boy thinks before he kills.”

Jas glanced at Aya. “But did you ever trust Crawford? And can we trust him now?”

Aya shrugged. “I admit I’ve only worked it all out in retrospect and I neither liked nor trusted him at the time. However, what I do know about him is he would never betray his own, so while Schuldig, Nagi and Farfarello are with us we’re safe from Crawford. I also know that the last thing he’d want is to be Rosenkreuz’ experimental subject so he would do nothing to jeopardise possible release of one sort or another.” 

“I guess that makes sense. So long as his team is with us, he's got to play fair, or they'll die, which he doesn't want. At least we can hope he's not ready to betray them.” Jas sighed and shifted gears again as Kei sped up on a straighter section of road.

Aya cocked his head to one side, obviously mulling things over in his mind. “I honestly believe he wants out too much to put any of us in harm’s way. If they have tried to force him to use his visions they have no way of knowing if he’s telling them the truth. I overheard Schuldig saying that real precogs, not seaside fortune tellers, are among the rarest of all the talents so they can only take what he gives them. He hates them as much as we do, if not more, so he’ll send them on a wild goose chase if they rely on his visions.” 

“I hope you're right,” Jas said.

He had to slow the car since Kei had slowed his car to a crawl in the middle of the road. At this time of night the country road was deserted except for their vehicles.

“I wonder what's going on,” he said when Kei brought his car to a complete stop and the driver's side door swung open. Kei got out, and then Omi bolted from the vehicle into the tall weeds at the side of the road.

“He must be car sick,” Jas remarked.

Aya shrugged. “Either that or he needs to pee.”

Ken rolled past them on his cycle and came to a stop beside Kei's car. He dismounted and went to Omi who had dropped to his knees in the grass.

Behind them Yohji had stopped his car, the lanky blond got out and lit a cigarette, his new black mission coat was open and flapped in the wind as he stood there waiting.

Jas frowned. “Kudoh's smoking again.”

Aya took a quick look at the lanky blond and turned to face Jas. “It beats drinking or taking drugs. He needs one addiction and smoking is the least harmful of the three evils, in the short term. Do you still feel he should be dead?”

Jas shrugged. “Kei wants him alive for now, so he gets to live until Kei says otherwise.” He twisted around to look at the car behind them. “Besides, Kate will keep him in line.”

Aya smirked. “Yeah, I think she will. Hmm, looks like Omi’s finished getting rid of his last meal. He’s not used to travelling in the back of a car, he’s used to riding a motorbike or going pillion with Ken, gods help him.”

Omi came out of the thick weeds, brushing at his clothes. Kei said something to him that ended with a sharp motion toward the car. Omi shook his head and headed toward Ken and his cycle.

Kei stalked toward the small former Weiss, which resulted in Ken coming off his cycle as if he had been launched. He put himself between Kei and Omi and stood his ground, his entire stance rife with barely contained aggression.

"That looks bad," Jas remarked.

Yohji strolled past their car, flicking his cigarette at the closed driver's side window as he went by.

Aya sighed at Yohji’s childishness. On the road Ken and Kei looked to be ready to come to blows. Aya climbed out of the car. “Is there a specific reason why Omi can’t ride with Ken?” he called.

Kei's angry glare fell on Aya. "Ken doesn't need to have Omi on the back of that cycle. It's heavier than the ones he's used to, that's why. Plus they aren't paired as a team, Omi's paired with Farf and Ken goes with you and Jas. Or have you forgotten that small fragment of information, Abyssinian?" their erstwhile leader snapped, using Aya's old code name in a way that made it sound like some sort of insult.

Icy violet eyes stared back. “I’ve forgotten nothing,” he said without emotion, “but Omi’s only going to throw up again if you force him to sit in the back of a car. Try putting him in the front seat, he’s no trouble then.”

"Get in the fucking car," Kei snapped at Omi as he headed toward the driver's seat. He snapped his fingers and motioned Tsuki to the back of the car.

For a moment Yohji didn't move then he spun around and stalked toward the car he'd been driving, with his coat flapping around his long legs.

Jas shook his head. "I don't know what you ever saw in him," he muttered as Aya got back into the car.

Aya narrowed his eyes. “If you mean Kudoh, what I still see in him, a good friend and someone I can trust at my back.”

Kei's car sped away, the back end fishtailing slightly from the speed he forced the sports car to attain in a very short distance.

Jas frowned. "Good for you," he muttered. "Guess I don't rate on any of those points."

Jas put the car in gear and slammed his foot down on the gas pedal, leaving a trail of rubber behind.

Aya sighed. His lover was so damned touchy at times. “Be reasonable, Jas, I’ve never worked with you on a mission before so I don’t know about how good you’ll be at watching my back. As for good friend, you’re more than that and you know it.”

"Am I, or is this just a convenient way for you to ditch Kudoh and have some fun at the same time? I don't know you, you don't know me," Jas replied in a voice laced with ice. "So let's just get this mission over with and if we survive it then maybe we can decide what, if anything, I mean to you."

Aya stared through the windscreen again, ignoring Jas’ pissy mood until he thought of something. “If you want to wait till after the mission you might never know so I’ll tell you now. I love you. Doesn’t matter how well I know you or you know me.”

Jas hit the breaks and yanked the wheel to get the car off the road. He put the car into park and reached over, grabbed Aya and hauled him close. He put his lips to Aya's and kissed him, his tongue touching the seam of Aya's lips.

Aya put up with this behaviour for a few short seconds but then Abyssinian took over and he extracted himself. “Not now, Jas, not unless you want Kei to kill us before we even start the mission.”

Jas grinned. "Save us the pain of going through the mission," he retorted and got the car back into motion.

Ahead of them Kei had stopped his car and was leaning out of the open window glaring pure death in Jas' direction.

"He's going to have a stroke or a coronary before he's thirty," Jas remarked and lay his hand on Aya's thigh. He squeezed. "We get out of this alive I'm going to fuck you until we're both blind."

Aya chuckled. “You’ve got a date.”

They drove for the better part of two hours, rolling along in a little convoy of ready to serve death and destruction heading for the place they'd turn into mayhem and murder as only professional killers could.

Kei pulled his car off the road, the boot popping open to reveal the weapons the cars were loaded with for what might be their last mission.

Jas pulled in behind Kei and turned the car off. "This is it, babe." He leaned over and gave Aya a quick kiss. "Don't get killed."

Aya returned the kiss before pulling away to say, “That goes double for you.” He climbed out of the car and stretched cramped muscles as he studied the schloss they’d come to destroy.

"Let's get our gear and get ready," Jas said as he headed for the car's boot and the gear it held.

Yohji had parked right behind them. He got out of the car and headed, not for the guns stowed in the back, but directly for Aya. He grabbed Aya by the upper arms, spun him around and kissed him hard on the mouth.

Fury rose in Jas and he reached for the nearest pistol in the boot, ready to blow the fucker's head off.

Aya allowed the kiss but pushed Yohji away as soon as he could. “Focus, Balinese, this isn’t a Kritiker jaunt.”

The pain in Yohji's gaze vanished behind the man's cold mission stare, but not before Aya saw the ache of a broken heart in their depths.

Kate joined them and tapped Yohji on the shoulder. “Where’s my kiss?”

"Right here baby," Yohji replied as he pulled Kate into his arms and set his lips to hers.

Aya smiled and made sure he got between Jas and Yohji. “We need numbers Jas.”

Jas' eyes had darkened with anger, which quickly faded. "Yeah, and I guess, under the circumstances, he's entitled to one last kiss from you." Jas' stormy gaze flicked to Yohji, "But that better be the last time he kisses you."

"Get a move on, people," Kei said, anger simmering in his voice.

Aya nodded. “It will be,” he murmured as he headed towards Kei and their weapons. He picked up his katana and the Berretta pistol he felt most at home using. He checked the magazine and took a small box of bullets which he tucked into his pocket.

Kei picked up a couple of clips for the Beretta and shoved them into Aya's hand. "This isn't a Kritiker mission we're on. Use the gun and keep your distance from the targets as much as possible."

Omi reached for his darts and put them where he could get to them. Kei shoved a small auto pistol into his hand. "Use it," he instructed.

Yohji picked up the pair of pistols he'd been practicing with, a .50 calibre Desert Eagle and a 9mil machine pistol. He glanced at Aya, then stuffed his pockets full of preloaded clips for both weapons. "If it isn't one of us, we kill it, right?"

Kei nodded at his question. "That's right."

Yohji frowned at Aya. "Better take more bullets, Abyssinian."

Aya nodded once and reached for more clips.

Farfarello studied the point of one of the knives he had strapped to his body. There were so many of them they were almost armour. "But daddy I don't want to take a gun," he remarked. "But I know how to use a knife."

Kei shoved one of the remaining 9mil automatic pistols into Farfarello's hand. "Take it and fucking use it."

"Spoilsport," Farfarello muttered.

Nagi smiled at the psychopath. He knew just how fast Farfarello could take down multiple targets with just a few knives but Kei didn’t. 

Schuldig stood off to the side, a cigarette dangling from his lips, his gaze unfocused, distant.

"Schuldig, get over here and arm up," Jas said.

"Leave him alone," Farf remarked. "He's trying to reach Crawford."

Kei tossed a rock at the German telepath. "Snap out of it, Schuldig. If he's aware of anything he already knows we're here."

Schuldig turned cold blue eyes on Kei. “You wanted talents on your side so learn how to use us. There are no telepaths in there, nor are there any telekinetics for which you should be thankful. In fact…” his eyes went distant again for a moment. “Aya, double check, please. You have the slight edge in strength.”

Aya listened with his mind, searching the schloss for shielded or paranormal minds. He stared at Schuldig in surprise. “That’s just too good to be true. There are no telepaths or telekinetics at all unless they’ve found ways to hide from other telepaths. There are, however, several empaths and that’s not good news.”

Schuldig nodded. “And Brad, of course, did you sense him?”

Aya grimaced. “To be honest, I shied away from him. It’s damned painful inside his head.” He turned towards Kei. “Empaths can fuck with your emotions, make you hate yourself, despair, and even cause physical pain in your nerve endings. I’ll keep track of them until we can take them out.”

Kei frowned. "Everyone keep this in mind. We can't afford to start attacking one another."

Kei's gaze met Tsuki's. "You stay here and guard the cars. Keep sharp." He passed out headgear to the rest of the team. "Tsuki can see everything we see, hear us and communicate information to us if needed. Keep the comms silent unless you run into trouble. We'll do our best to coordinate a rescue, but we've got one hour, period. If we run out of time, then there won't be any rescue."

He shut the trunk of the car and swept his gaze around the group. "Stay sharp. You know your jobs. Let's get going."

Yohji plucked the nearly finished cigarette from Schuldig's mouth, took a couple of drags then crushed it under his foot. "Yeah, let's go," he muttered.

The group of them moved out, leaving Tsuki with the cars and the comm gear.

They reached the fence and Nagi quickly tapped into the electronic surveillance system and shut that section down. They quickly went over the fence and spread out, each team heading for the point where their jobs started.

Omi was amazed at just how quickly and quietly Farfarello took out the guards in their section of the schloss. He only had to use one dart when a guard crept up behind the Berserker. 

Flashing Farfarello a quick grin and a thumbs up, he made his way towards the first lab. There were three white coated individuals, two guards and a non descript individual in a pair of jeans and leather jacket leaning against a wall. Omi had a feeling he might be one of the empaths Aya had mentioned and immediately flung a dart at him.

The empath plucked it out of the air and hurled it back at Omi. Farfarello snagged it out of midair and threw it at the empath, along with a quick trio of knives. The empath managed to catch the dart and the first knife, but the second and third blade hit home, one going into the empath's throat the other slamming into his left eye. The empath slid down the wall and slumped to the floor dead before he had a chance to do anything else.

The people in the white coats, two men and a woman, ran for the nearest door not taken up by the pair of professional assassins.

Omi’s expression was full of self disgust for not taking the speed at which talents could move into consideration. He wouldn’t forget again. He threw a trio of darts after the panicked scientists, catching all of them in the back or arms. The deadly darts would do their work with the smallest scratch and he was mollified when the lab staff collapsed.

The guards suffered a quick and very lethal fate at the hands of Berserker who'd taken them out with hardly any sound. From somewhere off in the near distance the boom of gunfire echoed down the corridors.

Farf grinned viciously. "Sounds like Kudoh and Schuldig ran into some victims."

Farfarello glanced at the computers clustered on a grouping of desks to one side of the lab. "Do you think you could hack these to find the location of the servers they're storing their data on? If we know where those are it would make our job easier because then we can go to the server room and trash everything at once." he pointed out.

Omi flashed him a surprised grin. “You read my mind,” he said, “You’re a very clever man, Farfarello!” He headed for the computers leaving Farfarello to have fun trashing the experiments set up around the lab.

Two minutes, and several noxious stinks later he had the password for and location of the servers. "Do you want to physically trash them or shall I send them a lethal virus instead?"

"Both," Farfarello replied as he dumped over a shelf filled with books and fragile looking lab equipment some of which was glass.

Omi nodded and uploaded the virus. Seconds later he was helping Farfarello trash what was left of the lab. “I think we should make straight for the server after this,” he said as he helped to shred some paperwork. “From what I remember of the floor plan it’s down the corridor, turn left at the central crossroads and take the second door on the right.”

Farfarello grinned at him. "Yes, that's where it was on the map. Did you check through the lab terminal to make sure it hasn't been moved?" he asked as he shoved another batch of papers into the industrial strength shredder.

Omi placed a hand on his hip and stared at the other assassin. “Go teach your grandmother to suck eggs,” he said succinctly. “Of course I checked. Do you take me for an amateur?” 

"I'm not use to working with you, little kitten, so be nice and don't make me stab you," Farfarello retorted. He was smiling but the glitter of his gold eye wasn't exactly friendly.

More gunshots rang out, echoing through the building. Farfarello cocked his head. "That sounded like Aya's Berretta."

Omi nodded, hoping his friends, his team, were all okay. “Let’s get the server dealt with and get the hell out of here.”

"You can leave, but I'm planning to help the rest of our team kill more of these fuckers," Farfarello informed.

Omi raised a brow at the change in plan but had the sense to keep quiet. If Farfarello wanted to go on a killing spree he wasn’t going to stop him, even if he could which was doubtful. Besides, putting the Berserker in the mix would speed things up considerably. “Okay,” he said. “I should be able to get to the server without back up.”

Tsuki’s voice sounded in his headset. “I can watch your progress, and make sure you’re not ambushed, but don’t let Kei know you split up.”

Farfarello frowned. If he separated from his team mate during a Schwarz mission Brad would punish him. He wasn't sure what Kei might do, but the knowledge of just what sort of bastard Brad was left him just as certain he didn't want to piss off his current team leader. He knew what Crawford would do if he disobeyed, he had no clue what Kei might subject him to if he left Omi.

"I'll stay with you until your job's done, then get you out of here, Bombay," he said, remembering to use Omi's codename this time. "You hear that, comm boy? I'm not disobeying orders."

“I hear you,” Tsuki said his voice relieved, “thanks, Berserker. It’s appreciated.”

Omi smiled, feeling just as thankful as Tsuki sounded. Not because he couldn’t look after himself but because he didn’t want any of them in trouble with Kei.

"Come on kitten, let's get going," Farfarello urged and headed for the door.

*

Schuldig strode through the bowels of the schloss shooting anything that moved. He didn’t need Kei’s warnings to know exactly what they were up against. He spared a fleeting thought for Aya, wondering if the man had the mixture of empathy or if he was pure telepath and whether he could use his telepathic speed.

Yohji’s gun barked and Schuldig got his head out of his ass and went back to the business of destroying the place and everyone in it.

"This way," Yohji said as he darted down a side corridor. According to the map this was the way to one of the bigger computer filled labs that lay in the area that they were responsible for taking out.

I wonder if Crawford's going to survive or if Kei intends to put a bullet in his head regardless of what condition he's in? I wouldn't put it past Kei to simply kill Crawford. He's one of the coldest sons of bitches I've ever met.

Motion in the corridor ahead of Yohji made him pull the trigger of the heavy pistol in his right hand. It boomed and whoever he'd seen scrambled back into the doorway where he'd seen it.

"Someone ahead of us, but I can't get a good look at them. I'm suspecting it's one of those bastards we're supposed to be watching out for," he informed Schuldig.

Schuldig’s eyes had narrowed. “Ja, an empath,” he said, “stay back and use your shields.”

He put his own speed to use and shot down the corridor almost too fast for Yohji to see. At the same time he used his talent to latch onto the other mind and smirked as he tore it to shreds with a mental blast.

Yohji held his mental shields in place, ignoring the slight headache it created behind his eyes. He followed Schuldig down the corridor, pausing to check an open doorway that Schuldig had zipped by.

Good thing too. There were four guards heading at a dead run--which still appeared to be slow motion compared to Mastermind's absurd speed--toward the door.

Yohji opened fire on the men, taking two of them out with the big Desert Eagle while the other two went down choking on blood from a spray of nine mil bullets from the machine pistol in his left fist.

Schuldig grinned in appreciation and thanks. “One empath,” he kicked at the agent’s corpse, “and four guards, must be something interesting in that room. Let’s take a look.”

Yohji stepped in, keeping both pistols at the ready. The room was filled from floor to ceiling with strange containers fastened into heavy duty shelves. Yohji moved closer to try and see what was in the containers.

His green eyes widened when he realized what he was looking at. The room was filled with artificial wombs which contained half formed children.

"We've found their new eugenics lab."

Schuldig shuddered in distaste at the sight of row upon row of the foetal agents. “When I was at the school they used to have the strongest among us donate semen for this very purpose. The bastards love playing God.”

He took a deep breath, aimed and deliberately shot the first container and its contents.

Yohji holstered his .50cal and put his hand on Schuldig's arm to stop him from shooting more of the containers. "Don't use up the bullets on this." Frankly the idea of killing helpless unborn kids disturbed Yohji too much for him to handle killing what was in the containers, but he wasn't about to tell Schuldig something like that. "The explosion's going to take this entire room out, just don't ever tell Aki he killed a bunch of unborn kids. I don't think he'd handle that too well."

Schuldig snorted and shrugged Yohji’s hand off his shoulder. “Unborn kids, yeah right. Take a closer look, Yohji. They’re not even remotely human. They genetically fuse all kinds of DNA to produce these monsters, dangerous and unthinkingly loyal to their creators.”

Yohji got closer to one of the containers and peered inside. "This one looks pretty human to me, but I'll take your word for it, Schuldig."

"But you're right about Aki. Poor bastard's been put through enough shit already without adding this." Schuldig's expression was both sad and guilt ridden for a moment before his more usual smirk was back in place. "So, let's go kill things that fight back."

"I wonder how the others are doing," Yohji remarked as they left the lab, heading for the next room in the corridor.

*

Aki stared at the second of many support structures that they had to place a charge on. This one stood next to the boiler which heated the schloss. He got out one of the explosive devices they'd prepped earlier and used duct tape to fasten it to the pillar.

"Do you think we've got enough explosives to take this entire place down?" he asked Issei for the third time. He'd done a number of take down jobs before, but never on a building as massive as the schloss which was primarily composed of cut and placed stones.

Issei nodded as he handed Aki the detonator and its timing device. “Yes, I do,” he said, “especially here. That boiler is going to explode rather spectacularly in my opinion and what doesn’t explode is going to burn. The floors are all wood.” 

He ran a finger over the mortar between the stones. “The mortar is very thin and crumbly so I think the whole lot will come down like a house of cards if you dislodge even one stone.”

"I hope you're right because I still don't think we brought enough explosives for this job," Aki replied as he finished setting the detonator and timer into the C-4.

"Let's get to the next point," he added as he hefted the heavy bag filled with explosive.

Something moved in the deep shadows which filled the basement and Aki moved to cover and froze, knowing Issei would take the clue that he'd seen something. After all they'd been practicing an entire month to handle this part of the job.

Issei dived behind a pillar and peered into the gloom, trying to get a bead on whatever was there so he could kill it. There was a high pitched keening sound which hurt his ears and something flowed towards him at speed, the hiss of scales over stone telling him it was reptilian. He fired into the thing three times before it finally stopped moving and fell sideways.

He moved forward to get a closer look and almost gagged. From the waist down the thing was snake, above the waist it was human male although covered with the same scales as the ‘tail’. 

“Aki let’s get these charges set and get the fuck out of here.”

Aki stared at the thing Issei had just killed. He shivered in horror and picked up the satchel of charges. "That sounds like an excellent idea," he whispered and headed to the next place they were to rig with an explosive device.

One by one they set the charges, moving with quick efficiency as they rigged the entire basement to blow and take the whole place down.

They turned to take the stairs out of this part of the basement when Aki saw something else moving in the dark. He motioned Issei's gaze in that direction, and watched in an effort to see what they were up against now.

Issei moved in front of Aki, determined to protect the explosives expert. This time there was a roar like that of an enraged bear and that seemed to be what was lumbering towards them until one noticed the human head on the bear’s body. Issei didn’t wait. He pumped half a magazine of bullets into the creature yet even so it was almost upon him before it finally collapsed in a bloody heap.

Issei grabbed Aki’s wrist and hauled him up the stairs into the better lit areas of the schloss.

"No one told us about these things!" Aki murmured, too horrified to speak in anything over a whisper. "What are these things?" he asked as they hurried up the stairs.

Issei shrugged once they’d left the basement and its denizens below. “At a guess, I’d say they’re genetic experiments that went horribly wrong. If there are any more of them down there, they’ll be blown to kingdom come.”

Aki gave another shiver of terror. "I hope to hell you're right. The thought of those things getting out... I don't even want to consider what they might do to anyone they found."

Neither did Issei, but he kept his thoughts to himself in favour of calming Aki. “They’re trapped down there with the bombs. Are you setting any others?”

"Yes, but we have to get into the second half of the basement and there's no connection from down there to the other part," Aki informed as they reached the top of the stairs. "The old doorway was sealed with bricks and I don't want to blow that just to get through to that part."

He hurried down the narrow hallway toward the next batch of stairs. "Four more charges and we'll be done," he added as he shoved at the door toward the stairwell.

It wouldn't budge. He frowned at the door. "I don't even see a lock, so there must be a bar or something on the other side holding it closed."

Probably to keep the horrors from the other half basement out, Issei thought. He recalled the floor plans and couldn't remember another exit apart from the door they'd used to get into the basement. Now he thought about it the other door had been barred from the outside, not the inside.

“Can you blow it?” he asked.

"Yeah, I've got a spool of detonation tape, that should be powerful enough to take down a door, even a steel one like this," Aki informed as he dug in the bag of explosives and came up with the det tape.

He set the end of it to the side of the door where the hinges were and unreeled a strip that ran from the highest point on the door he could reach to a few inches below where the lowest hinge was probably set.

"Go back down the hall to the other door," he instructed Issei while he set a small timer for ten seconds. "I'll join you there as soon as I have this ready to blow."

Issei did as he was instructed and, once at the other door checked his gun’s magazine. It was still half full but he exchanged it for a full one just to be on the safe side.

A few seconds later Aki joined him behind the door, the small blue haired killer crouched down and motioned for Issei to do the same. "It's going to go soon."

Issei crouched by his side just as an explosion shook the floor and a cloud of displaced dust descended on their heads.

Aki grinned. "I might have used a little too much that time," he admitted and got to his feet. With the bag of explosives slung over his shoulder he stepped out from behind the door.

"Shit!" was all he managed before a hail of bullets hammered the door he'd ducked behind. "We've got company."

Issei poked his head round the door and fired off a couple of shots. He hit one gunman, judging by the pained cry and the thud of a body hitting the floor. “One down, two to go. Stay down.”

"Be careful," Aki urged, voice tense. He hated being in a position where gunfire was involved. He wasn't a very good shot, and had to rely on someone else to protect him in situations like this, but he pulled out his small .22 calibre pistol and waited for an opening when he could fire.

Issei risked another quick look and fired off more shots as cover. One of the guards was heading towards them so he took him in the chest. “Then there was one.”

Aki peered around the edge of the door and fired off several shots. A scream of pain tore the air, followed by an agonized groan and a thump. "I think I got him."

Issei grinned. “Yep, you got him. Let’s get the rest of these charges set and get the fuck out of this hell hole.”

"I like that plan a lot," Aki replied as they hurried down the hall to the door. It lay on the stairs so they were forced to push it down the steps. The steel door slid down with a loud bang and clatter of sound.

"Well if anyone's down there they know we're coming," Aki remarked as he hurried down the steps behind Issei who led the way with his gun drawn.

Somewhere deep in the Schloss they heard the sound of a concerted gun battle.

"I bet that's Jas and Aya," Aki commented as they reached the bottom of the steps. He set the first charge and moved on to the next one.

*

Jas fired his .45 putting four bullets into the bear-tiger-man-thing galloping toward Aya. The man-beast roared and collapsed, jaws snapping, legs thrashing as it tried to reach Aya. Another shot in the face from Jas' pistol silenced the horror.

"It would have been nice if Schuldig had warned us about these fuckers," he remarked as he removed the empty clip and replaced it. So far he and Aya had encountered three of the unnamed things.

Aya shook his head. “They’re not talents and because of the human DNA in them, they read as human, bestial human but human nonetheless.” He glanced behind to make sure Ken was still okay. Siberian looked a little pale under his tan but otherwise unscathed.

Aya searched outwards and found four minds heading towards them. “Four heading our way, not as bestial so I think these are guards.”

More fucking guards," Jas muttered as he shoved some bullets into an empty clip. He glanced at Siberian and frowned. The former soccer player didn't look good. He motioned to get Aya's attention and gestured to Ken. "I think he needs to get out of here and head back to the cars."

Aya did a quick scan of Ken’s mind and found the desire to kill both him and Jas in there. Frowning he searched for the cause and spotted empathic tampering. Putting the skills he’d learned from Schuldig to use, he tracked down the alien impulses and headed back the way they’d come, moving as silently as a hunting cat. He found the woman hiding behind a corner and stopped short of it.

A flash of silver, the hum of bees and a head hit the floor. Aya ran back to rejoin Ken and Jas before the guards reached them. He was just in time as the barrel of a gun with a mirror attached appeared round the next corner. Aya pulled Jas and Ken with him and dived for the ground as a hail of bullets passed overhead.

"Mother fucker!" Jas snarled and returned fire, opening up with the machine pistol and .45 together.

Siberian gave Abyssinian a tight smile. "Thanks for that. I wanted to ask for help, but that bitch kept me from being able to talk."

Aya nodded. “If we get out of here alive, you’re going to learn to shield your mind.” 

He edged forward on his belly, following Jas towards the guards.

Jas motioned Abyssinian to go to the left while he took the right around a huge mass of lab equipment. The gunmen were somewhere on the far side of the room behind a row of steel topped counters.

Out of habit Siberian followed Abyssinian, creeping along on his stomach behind the red haired killer.

Aya found a counter with a steel top and pushed it over to create a screen. The sound brought a flurry of gunfire in his direction which gave Jas the opportunity to get closer. 

*Stay behind this till I get back,* he sent to Ken. *We need to make sure you stay alive.*

Ken nodded. "Be careful."

One of the concealed guards opened up with an assault rifle. The bullets hammered the counter where Ken hid, keeping him pinned down while Aya scrambled for the next spot of cover.

The dual boom and scream of Jas' mismatched guns added to the noise of the assault rifle, as did a pair of agonized shrieks.

Aya smiled without humour. Two left in here. He saw a movement to his left as one of the guards tried to edge round to where Ken was. He fired once with the Berretta and took the man right between the eyes. One left.

The last guard came over the top of the counter where Aya crouched, the assault rifle aimed right for Aya's head.

Ken came up off the floor with the speed that had made him a top soccer player and perfect killer. He hit the guy from behind and a line of bullets chewed up the floor showering Aya with shattered chips of tile.

The katana sang and almost cut the stunned guard in two. *Clear,* Aya sent to Jas as he nodded in thanks to Ken. *Don’t let Kei know you did that.*

"Believe me, I won't," Siberian replied in a whisper.

Jas joined the two of them. "We're hitting a lot of resistance in this area. I wonder what's so important around here."

Aya did a quick mental scan but picked up nothing. “Whatever it is, it’s not sentient,” he said. “How long have we got left before the place blows?”

Jas glanced at his digital watch. "Nineteen minutes. Let's go figure out what's here, destroy it, and get the fuck out."

Ken nodded. "Yeah, we need to get out of here," he agreed.

Aya sighed in resignation. Kei would have their hides if they left something important behind and it didn’t get destroyed. “Okay, let’s start looking. I’ve a feeling whatever it is will be behind where the guards were if they needed to protect it.”

"Stands to reason," Jas agreed as he headed for the door the guards had come through, taking point as he had for most of the mission so far.

*Be careful. We’ve come this far, I don’t want to lose you at the last hurdle,* Aya sent to Jas.

*Worry about yourself and Hidaka,* Jas sent. *I'm in bullet proof gear that Kei gave me on the plane. He told me to keep Hidaka alive, so I am.*

Aya almost smirked at the focus from his lover. There was no doubt about it, they were well suited. He followed Jas towards the door.

Jas paused to one side of the door, shoved it open and then went in with both guns at the ready. There was no one visible, no sense of anyone in the room. The lights were out so Jas slipped into the room, staying close to the wall. He scanned the room which was filled with desks topped with paperwork and computers. Jas glanced at Aya. "I'd bet they compile the data from their research here."

Aya nodded, wishing they had one of their computer experts with them. Then again, Omi would have destroyed the network server by now. He spoke into his microphone. “Has Omi destroyed the server yet?”

“Yes, both with a virus and physically,” Tsuki told him. “Show me the screens.”

Aya positioned himself so Tsuki could see the monitors and heard him chuckle softly. “The comps are toast, but the guards wouldn’t know that.”

"That's it then," Jas remarked. "Let's get the fuck out of here."

Aya nodded. They should have a clear run back as they’d left nothing living behind them.

Jas left the room with the two of them on his heels. "Stay sharp, both of you. Just because we've killed half the population of Bavaria since we arrived, doesn't mean there aren't any dangers left."

And he needs to tell us this because… Aya thought but still kept his eyes on the passages and rooms they had to traverse. 

Jas turned a corner, staying close to the wall, gun at the ready.

It didn't do him any good. A fist the size of a skillet slammed into his chest, lifted him off his feet and sent him flying into the wall behind him. He got off two shots, one of which hit the thing, the second shot hit the ceiling.

“Fuck! Aya look out!” Siberian yelled and pressed down on the lever that activated the bugnuk on his right hand. He swept the blades at the huge bear-like thing--if bears had scales--and slashed it across the arm before the thing could get his red-haired team mate.

Aya swung with his katana, trusting the blade more than bullets on this thing, and took a chunk out of the creature’s other arm.

It bellowed in pain and swiped with its claws at both former Weiss and took Siberian off his feet. He rolled and hit the wall but bounced to his feet and came back in swinging the bugnucks opening up a series of gashes across the thing's left flank.

The reptilian-bear thing spun to slash at Siberian, giving Abyssinian an opening.

This time Aya used the katana to stab the horror in the abdomen angling the blade upwards to pierce the thing’s heart. It collapsed to the ground with a loud crash, while Aya went to see if Jas was okay.

Jas lay on the floor, blood seeping from his mouth. He coughed and struggled to try and stand, a gasp torn from his lips. “Fucker broke my ribs,” he muttered.

“Well keep still and let Ken deal with it,” Aya said, and exchanged a look with Ken. “By the looks of things it’s punctured a lung too.”

Siberian motioned for Aya to move out of the way. “Make sure nothing sneaks up on us, okay?” He crouched down beside Jas and touched the only part of the other killer not covered in leather or armour, his face.

Jas flinched and gritted his teeth as Ken's psychic energy flooded into him. It fucking hurt, feeling the broken bones and soft tissues mend under the power of Siberian's mind.

Then it was over and he took a deep, shaky breath. “Thanks,” he managed to get out.

“Bones and lung are fixed, but I left the bruises alone. You'll be sore and stiff but you'll live,” Siberian remarked as he got to his feet. He glanced at his watch. “We need to get the hell out of here. We've only got five minutes.”  
Aya cursed under his breath and reached out a hand to haul Jas to his feet. “Let’s get moving then,” he snapped. 

He took the lead after that, his katana unsheathed and ready for any further attacks. Against the nightmare things wandering this godforsaken building the sword was preferable to the gun.

They were going down the corridor that would lead them out of the place when the power went out, leaving them in the pitch darkness.

“That would be the icing on the cake,” Jas muttered as he pulled out a flashlight from his pocket.

*

Kei moved through the darkness, silent and invisible as a ghost. He could hear the distant echoes of gunshots, the screams of the dying that seemed to permeate the stone.

Fast movement, a blur he could barely see came toward him. He didn't bother with the pistol, the knife in his fist took care of the speed-freak empath guarding the way. Blood sprayed the corridor, a new death to join those which already filled the dungeon of the Rosenkreuz schloss.

He could feel death all around him. Old ghosts, the echoes of torture and murders past that saturated the stones here the way rain soaked the ground during a storm.

But here the storm was one of depravity in the name of research, of eugenics, of creating a superior being.

Of deliberately making people like Crawford and Schuldig. Sociopaths ready to take on the world for their mentally twisted masters.

Kei paused, listening for any sound, any trace of living people down in the depths of the schloss. He was below the basement proper, deep into the bedrock underneath the building. Deep into the hellish pit where they kept people like Crawford. Prisoners slowly going mad from the darkness, the fetid stink of rotting blood and bodies.

This was why Kei had insisted in coming on this part of the mission alone. He knew what lay in the center of his own soul and nothing he could find down here would bother him. He had his own core of darkness that no twisted mind or depraved act could dislodge.

He paused at the junction of two corridors, took the left hand way and kept going, taking the stairs down, going deeper into the bowels of Rosenkreuz born hell.

The stairs ended in a final corridor that he traversed as if in a dream. He felt distanced from everything down here. Everything but the weight of the stone above and the cloying touch of the ghosts.

He turned the knob on the door, but it was locked. He aimed the pistol at the lock and blew it to pieces with a single shot. Kei shoved the door open and gazed at the man he'd come to save.

Crawford was tied to a bed that stank of urine, feces, pain and blood. Tall but gaunt as a concentration camp victim, Crawford lay there as if totally unaware of anything. Kei stepped into the room, moved to stand over the bed where Crawford lay, staring up at the ceiling.

The man's head turned and his dark eyes regarded Kei without any trace of emotion. "You'd be Darkness. I see you made it," Crawford rasped out, his voice rough from need of water, lack of use, or too much screaming. Or perhaps all of those reasons.

"Live or die?" Kei asked the Schwarz leader, getting right to the point. The pistol in his fist showed he was ready to give Crawford the only mercy their kind would ever know: the freedom of death.

"At this point they're the same. Living is like hell, dying will be hell," Crawford replied, a humorless smile twisting his lips.

"Decide," Kei told him.

"Get me free of this bed," Crawford rasped out.

Kei deftly picked the locks on the handcuffs holding Crawford's wrists to the bed. He turned to free the American's legs from the restraints, but Crawford beat him to it, unbuckling the leather straps from his ankles.

Without a word he stripped off the rags of his clothes and went to a small sink in the corner where he quickly washed off the worst of the caked filth from his body while Kei stood guard at the door.

"Time's running out," Kei warned, though he suspected Crawford knew exactly how much time they had left down to the second.

The man turned. "Let's go then."

Stark naked, Crawford reached out, plucked the pistol from Kei's hand and led the way up the steps. Kei let him take the lead, at least until the man's strength flashed out like a candle snuffed by a hard wind.

Kei caught Crawford and pulled the man's arm across his shoulders, very glad that--like Kudoh--he was tall for someone born in Japan. He was also glad he spent a lot of time working out to stay in top form because, despite the hardships he'd endured, Crawford was still no lightweight.

"Stop," the Schwarz leader gasped out, his shoulder hitting the wall opposite the side Kei supported him on.

"What is it?" Kei asked in a tense whisper.

"Coming for us, too many of them. Hard to focus." Crawford's entire body shook as if he were freezing, but it wasn't cold that gripped him in it's merciless jaws. Crawford was having a vision.

Kei eased Crawford to the floor and drew his back up .44 automatic. He moved in front of Crawford and crouched down, ready for whoever was coming for them.

Fast steps down the stairs, heading for them at a pace no normal human could match. Kei brought up both pistols and aimed up. He waited in the near total darkness until he saw the motion. He opened up with both pistols, hitting the first one dead in the face. A lifeless body tumbled down the stairs toward them. The next round of gunfire was answered by matching booms, that flew over Kei's head. His own shots hit home and a second body crumpled to the stairs.

A strong hand closed on his shoulder and shoved him sideways, spoiling his aim, a trio of bullets spraying across the stone. They still hit something if the cry of pain was to be believed.

The gun Crawford had taken from him barked once, and another body rolled to join the growing pile.

Blood, death and the acrid odor of gunfire filled the air of the stairwell.

"Go!" Crawford told him. Kei got to his feet, moved past the bodies, careful of his footing, yet he didn't need to look down to make sure he didn't step on anything. He'd trained for years for this sort of confrontation, and he moved by instinct.

Behind him Crawford fired the pistol he carried once into a body lying on the stair. Kei didn't bother to ask why. He wasn't fond of leaving enemies alive either.

"More ahead," Crawford warned.

Kei didn't need the warning. He could sense the things coming for them. He could feel the foul effluvia of menace that hung in the air as he crept up the stairs step by step.

A darker form in the gloom and Kei fired, two shots from both guns. Whatever he'd shot at roared and came toward them fast. Kei opened up on the thing, the gun in Crawford's hand joining the deadly song in the pause between his shots.

Whatever the thing was coming toward them was big, but it went down under the lead hammer of their gunfire.

"What the fuck?” Kei asked in a whisper.

"Genetically altered creation from the labs. They don't scan as human, and they're allowed to roam at night. It keeps the scientists from escaping,” Crawford informed quietly. "They're the result of some earlier experiments by Takatori Masafumi.”

Kei snorted. "Figures,” he said as he moved carefully up the steps toward the thing. They had to climb over it. The thing was so big it covered the stairs from one side to the other.

They reached the end of the stairs, went down the same short corridor and started the next part of the climb.

"You okay?” Kei asked when Crawford started to lag behind.

"What do you think?” Crawford snapped in reply.

Kei kept climbing, watching for any sign of further opposition. He didn't sense anything ahead, but that hardly meant anything in this place.

He got to the top of the steps and waited for Crawford to catch up. Together they headed down the hallway, Kei moving faster, but with caution. A glance at his watch showed they had less than ten minutes to get out of the schloss before the whole place went up.

"Left here,” Crawford told him at a junction of two hallways.

Kei frowned. "I came in from directly ahead.”

Crawford stared at him.

Kei went left, hurrying down the corridor, gun at the ready. He didn't know why they were going this way, but the look the American had given him said there was a good reason from the precogs perspective and Kei wasn't going to argue. They didn't have time for it.

They were halfway down the corridor--which ended in a large window--when the power went out.

"Lovely,” Kei muttered and continued to go forward, using the light from the window to navigate the blackness.

"Now you see why we came this way,” Crawford told him.

Kei reached the window and smashed out the glass with a few well placed shots. He glanced at Crawford. "You're sure you want to go out this way?”

Crawford gave him a cool stare and jumped out of the window.

Kei shrugged and followed the Schwarz leader out.

*

Tsuki watched the monitor as the rest of the combined team made their separate ways out of the schloss. It was strange to think that such a fairy tale castle could contain such appalling experiments, such sheer evil. He now had an inkling of why Kei wanted to destroy Essett, Rosenkreuz and everything associated with the organisations.

He gave his watch a quick glance. Two minutes before they would find out whether Aki had misjudged or not, although somehow Tsuki didn’t think he had. He switched off the monitoring program, once assured they were all outside of the building, and closed the laptop as he pulled the headset from his ears.

A crunch of gravel heralded the arrival of Kate and Nagi and he smiled in relief. “Better take cover,” he said. “One minute to go.”

Jas, Aya and Ken were the next to arrive. Jas looked ready to murder the world, while Ken simply went to his cycle and got aboard, his gaze on the schloss.

Aki and Issei came over the fence and joined them.

"I hope we had enough explosives," he remarked as he stowed the duffle and his guns in the trunk of Kei's car.

“You worry too much,” Issei said. “It’ll come down.”

Schuldig joined them, Yohji two steps behind him. The German glanced around and his shoulders slumped. “They’re cutting it fine.”

The fence jangled again and Omi and Farfarello were there.

The seconds ticked away, with no sign of Kei or Crawford.

“Where are they?” Farfarello wondered. He took a few steps toward the fence then paused and turned his single golden eye on Tsuki. “Are you sure they got out?”

Tsuki nodded, just as worried as the Irish man. “They dived out through a window just after the power went down.”

Farfarello resumed walking toward the fence. “I’m going to go find them.”

Yohji sighed, glanced at the cigarette he'd been about to light and stuffed it back into the pack. “I'm coming with you,” he told Berserker.

The two of them reached the fence and went back over.

"Turn the comm gear back on," Aki said to Tsuki. "You can help guide them to Kei and Crawford if you can find the two of them and figure out where they are."

Tsuki shook his head. “There isn’t enough time, Aki, thirty seconds at the most. It’ll take that long to boot up.”

"Do it anyway. If they've had to go to ground somewhere we'll at least know where they're at," Jas said as he started to make his way toward the fence. "I'm going to see if I can spot them."

Jas had just put his hand on the fence when a low crump sound heralded the beginning of the blasts. The explosions vibrated through the ground under their feet and they could see the schloss starting to collapse as the foundation beneath it blew to pieces.

Tsuki opened the laptop and booted up the monitoring program as the ground shook beneath his feet. He found Kei and Crawford on the ground, too near to toppling walls. “Go to your right,” he said Yohji and Farfarello. “Nagi, can you stop them from being buried in rubble?”

Nagi nodded once and simply disappeared. He reappeared on Tsuki’s screen and after that all falling masonry was deflected away from the four other men near the exploding schloss.

Kei struggled against the hold Crawford had on him in the screen of the laptop, but the American held on like a pit bull with a cat and didn't let Kei go until the last brick of the collapsed building stopped moving.

Crawford looked up and motioned to Farfarello and Kudoh and the pair of blonds moved in. Yohji slung Kei over his shoulder and now they could see the blood which streamed from a wound in his right leg.

Farfarello got Crawford to his feet and the two of them followed behind Yohji as the deceptively strong Balinese hurried toward the fence and their waiting team.

Nagi came back the same way he’d gone and Kei was lifted out of Yohji’s hold and floated over the fence to come to rest by the cars. “Ken, heal Kei,” he said then rushed back to assist his adopted father over the fence.

Relieved of Kei, Yohji had turned to helping Farfarello get Crawford over the fence. Behind them the schloss began to burn, flames leaping through the wreckage of Rosenkruez's various research laboratories.

Somewhere in the far distance the sound of emergency vehicle sirens could be heard.

Schuldig cursed. “Which idiot left someone alive for long enough to call the fire service?”

"Doesn't matter," Kei told them as Ken knelt down beside him and began working on the DSS leader's wounded leg. "Prodigy, you stay with Siberian, Tsuki and I, the rest of you get into the cars and get the fuck out of here." 

"Okay people, you heard the man, let's get the fuck out of here" Jas said as he headed for the car he'd been driving.

Schuldig took one last look at the collapsed and burning Schloss before heading to the car he’d arrived in. “Now that is a beautiful sight to behold.”

Schuldig didn't make it to the car. Crawford caught up with him, grabbed him by the shoulders, stared into his blue eyes, then kissed him hard enough to bruise the telepath's lips.

"Now we can go," Crawford said.

Everyone piled into the cars and sped away from the scene with Kei and his chosen team a minute behind them.

They reached the airport, got onto their chartered plane, and left Bavaria and the ruins of Rosenkruez's plans behind.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, they survived. Hope everyone is enjoying. 
> 
> Special mention to the lady who requested Aya-uke. We found an old, unfinished story and guess what? Just what you wanted.


	18. Chapter 18

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter includes BDSM.

Tsuki had just gotten out of the shower and was still towel drying his hair when Kei entered the bedroom of the hotel suite half of Weiss and all of DSS were sharing.

Kei tossed a metallic red gift bag at Tsuki. "Here," he said and dropped into a chair beside the bed. He looked smug, pleased with himself over something that Tsuki would have bet had nothing at all to do with the successful completion of their mission in Bavaria.

They'd all gotten their fill of sleep and food during the plane flight, and they'd gone through the debriefing that Kei had insisted on before the plane landed.

Now in Bangkok--a crowded city that would make it difficult for the agents of Rosenkruez and Esset to find them--they'd taken a pair of hotel suites on the same floor, and the rest of Weiss and all of Schwarz were in the second batch of rooms.

He shot a look at Kei before giving into his curiosity and peering into the gift bag he’d caught with ease.

He stared at the contents in consternation before gazing at Kei. “A collar and leash? What am I, a dog?”

"No, you're mine. If you were a dog I'd have gotten you a pair of bowls and some kibble," Kei replied coolly the pleased look gone.

Tsuki pulled the collar out and decided it was nice enough. It was the attached leash that bothered him. He sat on the bed and put the collar aside as he inspected the rest of the bag’s contents. The black and purple satin and lace looked intriguing and he pulled it out to discover a loligoth dress complete with a corset top. At the bottom of the bag was underwear, a pair of heeled, lace up ankle boots and some make up. He smiled. 

“How did you know exactly what to buy?” he asked.

"I bought what I wanted, what you want has no bearing," Kei stated, and gave Tsuki a hard edged smile. "I've told you, you belong to me, you will dress as I choose, you will do what I want. Your wants and desires do not matter."

Tsuki lost the smile, his eyes narrowing. “I belong to you by my choice. That doesn’t make me your slave or pet.”

Kei's eyes narrowed. "I recall that you agreed to my terms when I stated them."

Tsuki stared back. “I don’t remember anything in those terms that stated my wants and desires didn’t matter.”

"I clearly stated that you are mine. What did you think I meant?" Kei replied. He got up from the chair and cross the room to stand in front of Tsuki. "And, as I recall, you told me you were mine to do with as I will."

Kei turned away from Tsuki. "You didn't mean it. No one ever does." He headed for the door.

Tsuki sighed. “I did mean it but… it’s just hard at times. You’re the only man I’ve ever wanted to be in charge but that doesn’t mean I don’t have a will of my own anymore.”

Kei shrugged and opened the door. "Enjoy having a will of your own, Tsuki. I'm sure you'll find someone who can accept what you want." Kei walked out. The door bumped closed behind him in a way that sounded very final.

Tsuki threw one of the boots at the door with a satisfying thud. He was trying his best damn it. 

The fit of temper lasted all of ten seconds before Tsuki wondered if he’d damaged the boot. He got off the bed to retrieve it. As he picked it up, he felt the high quality of the leather, the softness of the interior. These were expensive boots.

He returned to the dress and realised how well made it was with another sigh. He should stop paying so much attention to Kei’s words and more to his actions. 

He heard the sounds of the others leaving the suite and, once certain only Kei was left, he placed the collar round his throat. Taking a deep breath he opened the door.

Kei stood in the centre of the room with his back to their bedroom door, motionless as a statue. He didn't turn when Tsuki entered. Didn't react. Didn't speak. He simply stood there as if waiting for... something to happen.

Tsuki, still naked from his shower, padded silently over to him and knelt at his feet, wordlessly holding up the leash for Kei to take if he so desired.

Kei gazed down at him, his eyes cold, emotionless as stone. "You don't seem to know what you want, Tsuki. You say you want to be mine, then you tell me you have a will of your own, then you come to me like this. What do you truly want, Tsuki? Do you want to be mine or do you want to belong to yourself? You can't have it both ways. Either you're mine, or you're not."

Tsuki glanced up into those cold eyes. What did he truly want? For once in his life he stopped to think before speaking. He wanted Kei, that was a given, but he wasn’t sure he could sublimate his own personality enough to accept that what he might think, desire or want didn’t matter to the man.

But when it came down to it love was love. “I want to be able to talk to you, to tell you how much I appreciate the things you choose to give me. I want to feel that I’m allowed to have an opinion. Apart from that I want things to remain as they are.

“What you said about my desires not mattering makes me feel worthless. It makes me think you don’t care about me at all.”

Kei continued to regard Tsuki with that same, cold, unfeeling stare. After a short time the muscles in Kei's jaw worked as if he wanted to say something but couldn't, or wouldn't.

Finally he sighed and touched Tsuki's cheek in a gentle caress. "First, if you were worthless you wouldn't be part of my team and I wouldn't want you around us. Also, if I thought you were worthless, you wouldn't be sharing my bed, and I sure as hell wouldn't want you as my lover. Second, I thought I'd made it clear being my lover wasn't going to be simple. I don't like to talk and I don't share my thoughts easily. Emotions are... difficult for me to express in a way most people can understand. If you can't deal with that, then there's no point in us continuing our relationship. I'm not going to change either. So don't expect me to become someone else because you love me. I'm who I am, and that's who I need to be in order to do my job."

Tsuki nodded. He didn’t want to change Kei, just to communicate with him more easily. He leaned his head into the caress. “Thank you for the clothes and boots. They really are lovely.”

"Which is why I wanted you to have them. You are stunning, and like any perfect gem, you simply need the proper setting to bring out your true beauty," Kei murmured. He took hold of the leash and pulled upward on it gently which forced Tsuki to follow it or be choked.

Once Tsuki was standing Kei leaned close and kissed him, his hand stroking down Tsuki's back to the curve of his butt where it stopped, fingers digging in, kneading the firm flesh. "Do you know how much I want you, Tsuki? Ever since I first saw you, I've wanted you."

Tsuki decided to take a leaf out of Kei’s book and let his actions speak for him. His arms slid round Kei’s waist and his mouth opened in invitation.

Kei's other hand gripped the other half of Tsuki's butt and lifted him, the older assassin walked forward and set Tsuki's behind on the top of the small dining table on the left side of the room. From the hardness beneath the leather of his pants, Tsuki had a good idea of what Kei planned to do next.

He still held on to Kei but was prepared to do whatever the other assassin wanted him to do. It would always be that way and, apart from his stupidity in the bedroom, Tsuki would have no regrets.

Kei got the buttons on his leather pants open then he reached into his pocket and took out a small tube of lube he'd planned to use later. He tore it open with his teeth, squeezed the slick stuff out on the head of his throbbing cock, and pulled Tsuki's hips so his lover's pelvis was tilted in a way that gave him access to his tight little hole.

One swift, fast thrust and he was inside Tsuki, his lips locked over Tsuki's mouth to muffle any sound he might make over the abrupt entrance.

Tsuki’s fingers dug into his back but he made no sound. There was a quiet exhalation of breath into Kei’s mouth but Tsuki was still returning his kiss.  
Kei moved, hard, fast, his hips driving his cock into Tsuki. He closed a hand around Tsuki's cock, his grip tight, the strokes slow torment compared to the hammering pace of Kei's cock.

Small sounds came from the back of Tsuki’s throat but it was impossible to tell if they were of enjoyment, pain or frustration.

Kei broke the kiss and gazed into Tsuki's eyes. "We are going to play a little game. I will ask you a question. You will give me your answer. If I do not like your answer, I will stop what I'm doing. If I like your answer, you will be rewarded.

"Do you understand the rules?"

Tsuki nodded. “I understand.”

The wild bucking of Kei's hips slowed. "First question. Are you mine?"

Tsuki didn’t hesitate. “Yes, I’m yours.”

"Next question. Do you mean what you just told me or do you plan to repeat the incident of earlier today?"

“I mean what I told you and in future I’ll think before opening my big mouth.”

"Good." Kei gave Tsuki a lingering kiss, then resumed the 'game.' "Are you someone I do not value? Do I think you are worthless?"

Tsuki frowned. “I can only answer for me, not you, so the answer is I hope not.”

Kei sighed, let go of Tsuki's cock and stopped trusting his cock into Tsuki. He went totally motionless. "I will ask you this again. You should know the answer because I've given it to you already today. Are you someone I do not value? Do I think you are worthless?"

Tsuki sighed. “No and no,” he said, hoping he was right.

Kei kissed Tsuki and resumed stroking the hard flesh in his hand. "Do you love me?"

Again Tsuki didn’t hesitate. “With all my heart and soul, I love you. I’ve loved you since I first saw you and will love you till the day I die.”

Kei resumed his thrusts into Tsuki's entrance, the motion slow, gentle. "Do I love you, Tsuki?"

Tsuki nodded. “Yes, I’m certain you do.”

"Will you always obey me and do as I ask, even if you don't like what I've asked you to do?"

“Yes.” Something profound had changed and Tsuki knew he would always obey Kei no matter what. 

Kei caressed Tsuki's cheek with his free hand. "Never forget what I've asked you, and never forget what your answers were, Tsuki." He kissed Tsuki. "And never, ever forget I love you. No matter what happens or what I demand from you."

Tsuki smiled. “When it comes down to it, that’s all that matters, if you love me I can accept anything.”

Kei's hand slid around behind Tsuki's head to cup the nape of his neck and draw Tsuki forward for a long, lingering kiss that warmed Tsuki all the way to his toes. Kei broke the kiss to murmur, "You're mine and I'll always love you, Tsuki. As long as my heart beats, as long as I draw breath, I promise I'll love you."

Tsuki’s hands ran up and down Kei’s back. For someone who didn’t communicate too well, Kei had just said words guaranteed to make Tsuki feel like a million dollars, to make him feel cherished. It was all he could ever want.

Kei sighed in pleasure. "I may not say it for weeks, even months at a time, Tsuki, but that shouldn't matter. I've said it, you've heard it," Kei murmured into his ear as he moved his hips faster, the pace of his hand on Tsuki's cock speeding up to match.

Tsuki gasped in pleasure before he said, “What you just said could last me a lifetime, Kei. I mean it.”

"Good. Now you get your reward." Kei withdrew his cock from Tsuki and leaned down to take the full length of Tsuki's hardness into his mouth. He sucked the firm flesh, his tongue swept over the head, lapped at the tiny droplets of precum that seeped from the tiny slit.

Tsuki moaned in sheer bliss. He never expected Kei to do this for him and the feeling was incredible, almost beyond description it was so good. He ran his hands through Kei’s hair, careful not to pull on it or force the pace.

Kei's tongue swept over the head of Tsuki's cock, then the stiff flesh was taken deep so that the sensitive flesh hit the back of Kei's throat.

Tsuki moaned again as it all became too much and he came, crying out Kei’s name.

Kei swallowed down ever drop of Tsuki's come. He stared at Tsuki and licked his lips as though savouring Tsuki's taste. He stood, leaned over Tsuki and frowned down at him. “I'm glad you enjoyed that, but I didn't give you permission to come.”

Tsuki hung his head in shame. “I’m sorry but it was just too good to last very long,” he said. “If you want to punish me, I’ll understand.”

Kei's hand closed on his chin, forced his head up. “I won't punish you this time. But you must learn obedience. If you don't, then I will have no choice but to punish you, and you don't want that, do you Tsuki?”

“No,” Tsuki agreed, “It won’t happen again, Kei.”

“Master. I want you to call me Master when we're alone,” Kei murmured as he leaned in closer to capture Tsuki's lips for a languid, lingering kiss.

Tsuki swallowed hard but managed to say, “Very well, Master.”

“Very good, my beautiful one,” Kei murmured and pulled Tsuki off the table. He turned him around, bent him over the gleaming wooden surface and nudged Tsuki's entrance with the head of his still erect cock.

Tsuki spread his legs, offering all he had and all he was to Kei to do with as he would.

“Such a good boy,” Kei whispered as he stroked his hands over Tsuki's body. His cock slid through the tight ring of Tsuki's anal muscles stretching them.

Tsuki grunted but stayed still, accepting Kei into his body.

Kei's arms wrapped around him, held him tight, his head resting on Tsuki's shoulder for a moment. “I've wanted someone to be mine for a very long time. I'm glad you offered yourself to me, Tsuki.” His tone was gentle. He let Tsuki's torso go and transferred his grip to Tsuki's narrow hips as he began to thrust, hard, deep and slow into the tight hole.

Tsuki might have some problems with being Kei’s love slave but this and knowing the man loved him was enough to keep him happy. He could accept any pain, any humiliation as long as he was certain his master loved him. I think of him as my master already. I hope I can please him enough.

Kei's lips brushed the nape of his neck while the hard rod of his Master's cock moved in and out of him in long, even strokes that hit the sweet spot deep inside him.

He moaned out his pleasure, enjoying this while he could. He knew these moments could only be fleeting, that soon enough the shit would hit the proverbial fan once again and his master would go into Kei mission mode and ignore him for days on end. He could live with that for moments like these.

“Do you know how long I've waited for someone I could love?” Kei whispered, his warm breath tickling Tsuki.

The pace of Kei's thrusts changed, slowed to something right at the verge of teasing.

Tsuki shook his head, his sweat-dampened hair sticking to one side of his forehead. “No, Master,” he whispered.

“I haven't had a lover in seven years, Tsuki. I was lonely. But now I have you,” Kei murmured. His thrusts changed tempo, sped up, deepened, no longer teasing.

Tsuki’s eyes widened in astonishment at Kei’s admission. Seven years? Kei had lived like a monk for seven years? He couldn’t wrap his mind round it. Then all intelligent thought fled as his Master hit his sweet spot over and over again making him gasp in pleasure.

Kei's grip on his hips tightened as his Master drove his cock faster and faster into Tsuki. “All this time... I've been waiting... for you,” Kei gasped out.

Tsuki felt his balls tighten in prelude to orgasm but he knew he couldn’t come until given permission. The idea of Kei waiting all that time for him was enough to cool the fires of passion somewhat. What the hell is so special about me that he would wait all that time? Or is it my submission he’s been waiting for?

He had no answers to his questions and wasn’t prepared to voice them and piss his Master off. A pissed Kei was a dangerous Kei. They all knew that.

“Do you want to come, Tsuki?” Kei's voice whispered. The soft curve of Kei's lips brushed along the edge of Tsuki's ear and sent a shiver through him.

“Yes, Master,” Tsuki whispered, “but only if you’re ready to let me.”

Kei's movements increased in tempo again, and his voice, when he spoke, had a raw, tense edge, “Come with me, Tsuki.”

It was all the encouragement Tsuki needed and he came with the softest of sighs. The intense emotions he was feeling were too strong for screams or cries.

The only indication that Kei had come with him was a further tightening of his hands on Tsuki's hips and the sudden tensing of his entire body against Tsuki.

After a moment the tension eased and Kei murmured, “Such a good boy.”

“Thank you, Master,” Tsuki whispered.

“Go run a bath for us,” Kei ordered and gave Tsuki a swat on the ass as his softened cock slid free of Tsuki. “And make it nice and warm. Your butt will appreciate it.”

* * *

Schuldig gazed down at the comatose form of Brad Crawford, his hands clenching and unclenching, the only outside indication of the emotional turmoil within. On one hand he was glad his lover was back and as near a going concern as he could be under the circumstances, on the other he was furious that the man had sacrificed himself for the rest of Schwarz. 

There was no other way Rosenkruez would have been able to get hold of the pre-cog. Schuldig felt Crawford’s mind come awake and snarled as another thought occurred. “I bet you even saw us rescue you, you bastard.”

Brad's eyes opened, his head turning to regard Schuldig. He squinted, frowned. “I've seen a great many things, Schuldig,” the Schwarz leader said, voice rough as if he'd been drinking whiskey laced with ground glass.

Schuldig lifted him enough to allow him to drink some water. “Don’t talk if it hurts, Brad. Ack but I’m so mad at you right now.”

Crawford swallowed some water then motioned to Schuldig that he'd had enough. “Be mad as much as you like,” he grated out. “We're all alive, aren't we?”

Schuldig nodded as he gently eased Crawford back down and placed the glass on the nightstand. “Just about, Jas managed to blow a hole in my chest but at least your ‘replacement’ got me cured.” He shuddered at how he’d been taken in by the clone. “And one didn’t make it out alive, but I guess you know that already.”

“No one that concerns me,” Crawford replied. Schuldig could tell the man was forcing the words out, making himself speak. His hand slipped from beneath the covers and gripped Schuldig's wrist. “You, Nagi and Farfarello are all that matters to me.” Crawford's eyes shut and he sighed, the sound weak, as if even drawing breath came at a cost to his remaining strength.

“I told you not to talk. You need to get your strength back. Hidaka can’t give you your muscle tone and body weight again although he did fix everything else that was wrong with you. Just lie there quietly and rest while I fill in the gaps your visions might have left.”

Schuldig was determined to make Brad see how much he owed the other two teams, both for saving his life and making sure that Nagi, Farfarello and he stayed alive and reasonably sane. A thought came to him. “I notice you didn’t mention Yohji in your people who matter list. Just as well, really, as I think he’s tied to the DSS girl now. Ok, where do I start?”

“Abyssinian.”

Schuldig nodded. It was as good a place and person to start with. “He’s a high level telepath and, with the right training, might well be stronger than me. He’s always known it too although he didn’t consider it to be Kritiker’s business or his team mate’s until recent events. No wonder his shields are so strong and he can expand them to protect others from attack.” 

He closed his eyes as he wished, not for the first time, that those shields had protected him from Berger and Mindwarp. “He saved a lot of us, me included. But I’m getting ahead of myself. Your clone approached him, after allowing me to be shot, and warned him against the DSS team. Being the bloody-minded little bastard he is, he took nothing at face value and turned down all approaches from Schwarz. He’s now a fully paid up member of DSS. The only good thing the clone did there was prevent a budding relationship with Yohji.”

Schuldig stopped to draw breath and study Crawford’s face to see if he was giving him the right information.  
Crawford frowned. “The clone, ruined something that...” He coughed shook his head. “Balinese needs him.” He opened his mouth and tried to speak again, but no sound came out. Frustrated--if the look on his face could be believed--he motioned for Schuldig to continue.

Schuldig shook his head. “If Yohji and Aya had been a couple there’s no way I’d be sane now. Yohji does what you do, keeps the voices at bay and, after Berger and Mindwarp almost destroyed my shields, I needed him. Can you imagine Aya allowing me to share a bed with them?”

He realised he was getting ahead of himself again. “So Weiss joined with DSS but the clone sent Nagi to their safe house, having told him to run because you, me and Farf were going to give ourselves up to save him.

“Jas didn’t like that idea and went back to kill Nagi.” Schuldig snorted at the unlikely idea of the idiot succeeding. “Luckily, Kei saw Nagi’s worth and chased after him with Kate and their hacker, Tsuki.”

Schuldig flushed. “The clone said nothing to me about his conversation with Nagi, instead he… Brad, I’m so sorry, but I thought it was you. While he ‘distracted’ me Mindwarp and Berger took us over to attack DSS. I made their explosives expert kill their second even though part of me was screaming we needed all the allies we could get.”

Crawford sighed, the frown twisting his mouth deepened. “Didn't... see... that,” he admitted. “So much... has happened... Couldn't... prevent any... of it.” Crawford's jaw worked as the man ground his teeth. Schuldig knew the expression, barely suppressed anger.

But right now anger would do none of them any good, least of all Crawford.

“Please, mein liebe, calm down. In many ways it’s worked out for the best. Farf had the sense to see what was happening and drugged the clone and me before we could do anymore damage. Then he went to find Nagi who was at the DSS house, having offered his help.

“Farf stopped Jas from killing his leader when Nightmare went for a walk in his mind and Aya shielded Kei and Jas from him. It was not long after that the clone and I arrived. I was still feeling the after effect of Berger’s tampering and was at a low ebb.

“Kei and Aya dealt with Mindwarp and Berger.” He smiled as he remembered Aya’s untrained silliness and the way Kei had destroyed Berger’s talent.

Crawford nodded, motioned for Schuldig to continue with his update.

Schuldig sighed. “Kei was shot in the side on the way out and at that time the clone and I joined the party. With Kei weak the clone tried to take over so aggressively even Nagi walked away from him. That’s when Yohji realised it wasn’t you. The clone’s behaviour was wrong. He saw the way the clone showed him affection, Nagi saw the way it turned on supposed allies.” Schuldig stopped and bit his lip. “Why didn’t I see it? I’m the telepath, I should have known!”

Crawford gripped Schuldig’s hand, slowly shook his head in silent admonishment. “Programmed…by…Esset…to…” he coughed weakly, continued, “obey me. Not…your…fault… Schul..dig.” Every word was a hard-won victory against the grip of the drug which had robbed him of himself and everything of importance to him, especially his team which he no longer had. They belonged to Kei now, and that hurt more than any physical wound ever could.

He’d lost them. Crawford let his eyelids close rather than let Schuldig see the tears that tried to fill them. Crying was a weakness and he refused to allow himself to succumb.

“That’s about all the important stuff,” Schuldig told him. “The future is up to you. Whatever you decide, Farf, Nagi and I will be with you.”

“Need time to… think…” Crawford got the words out, but nothing came easy.

He opened his eyes, reached up with a shaking hand, touched Schuldig’s cheek. “Resting now. Talk later.” He needed time to get past the weakness of so much time strapped to a bed, drugged and helpless. Time for his body to regain strength.

With Rosenkruez and Esset gone for the most part, he might have the time. At least until the wreckage of both organizations regrouped. Then the remnants would come after them like a juggernaught bent on their destruction.

Before that happened they had to be ready.

If they weren’t they might all die.

And dying wasn’t something Crawford was ready to lie down and do. Not when he could see a glimmer of hope lighting the horizon.

All wasn’t lost. Not yet.

If he had his way they’d survive.

And Brad Crawford wasn’t in the habit of failing.

*

Kei sat, eyes closed, in the middle of the floor in the room he’d taken for his own at the French hotel where they were staying. He needed to relax and not think for a short time, but the blankness of mind he needed in order to clear his head wouldn’t come.

He missed Hisato.

He needed a second-in-command. Someone to bounce ideas off of. Someone to tell him when he was doing something too dangerous, too stupid.  
Like the mission they’d just completed. Yes, they’d taken down the castle, eliminated the data stored there, gotten rid of any number of vile, genetically built creatures and some of Rosenkruez’s psychic lunatics.

And they’d gotten their own psychic mad-man, Crawford, back.

They hadn’t failed. But if one tiny thing hadn’t gone as planned--and they often didn’t on such complex missions--someone would have died.

He and Crawford had barely made it out. Another two seconds and they wouldn’t have and then where would both teams be? DSS and Schwarz, without any leadership, would not survive.

And Weiss…Without the other pair of teams they wouldn’t make it either.

Kei gave up trying to meditate, opened his eyes and stared at the wall, fighting tears he hadn’t shed for Hisato.

Tears he wouldn’t spill. Not even for his own brother.

He swallowed the hard knot in his throat and rose gracefully to his feet, went to the window and watched the cars on the street below. Watched the people going about their business. Their normal lives.

Lives that didn’t revolve around killing, watching people you loved risk their lives. Knowing your brother was dead, killed by an insane telepath bent on your destruction.

Phantasm.

And he was still out there.

Smug bastard.

He needed to die.

A wry, humorless smile twisted Kei’s lips.

He wasn’t a precog, but he knew Phantasm would die.

He’d see to it.

*

They left the hotel the next morning, Kei not wanting to stay so close to Bavaria for any length of time, and filed onto the private plane ready to take them back to the island.

Jas was piloting again and that left Aya free to think. Despite their victory and rescue of Crawford, his thoughts weren’t very happy. Phantasm was still out there somewhere and plotting revenge, and the top people of Rosenkruez certainly wouldn’t have been at the research facility. They couldn’t really rest until all of them were taken down. He wasn’t sure if they could do that, even with Crawford at his arrogant best. They were skilled, yes. Most of them had powers to rival those of Rosenkruez, but they were few in number while Rosenkruez’ tentacles spread globally.

He closed his eyes, but sleep eluded him so he wasn’t too upset when the seat dipped as somebody sat next to him.

“Hell of a life, isn’t it?” Yohji asked, the question purely rhetorical, of course. They’d chosen their path, and there was no one to blame for what they did but themselves.

Aya grinned mirthlessly and opened his eyes. “I’m beginning to look forward to hell if only for the rest.”

“You know, we’ve faced some long odds before, but that…That was something well beyond the scope of any mission we ever did for Kritiker.” Yohji sighed. “There were more than a hundred people in that place. The ones we didn’t kill directly died when the building collapsed. The only way any of us sleep at night is by telling ourselves they deserved death, that they were evil incarnate.” He shook his head, stared out the window of the plane for a moment, then gave a derisive snort. “Dark beasts. What a line of bullshit. As if any Takatori is anything but a dark beast. We should have known better.”

Aya glanced across the plane to where Omi sat with his head resting on Ken’s shoulder. “At least that one knows what he is.”

He sighed. “Any missions in our future will be as bad, if not worse, than that one. We can’t afford to lose anyone as we’re so few in number but I know we will. We’re all tired and dispirited, even Darkness, and we might well make costly mistakes. I don’t want to lose anyone, Yohji, but I know I will.”

Yohji nodded. “I have the same feeling Aya. One of us is going to die.” He stood, offered Aya a wry smile. “I hope to hell it’s me.”

Aya shook his head. “Nope, I want to go before you.” Where the hell had that come from? But he knew it was true. Yohji had held Weiss together like the glue in a cracked vase, even if it was only to whine about his bad habits. If he was gone they’d fall apart, all three of them.

Yohji shook his head. “You don’t need me Aya. No one does.” He sighed, took a step away, stopped and looked at Aya. “You’ve got Jas. He’s who you need. Kate…is better off without me. I’m a curse to women. Every one of them I fall in love with…dies.” He walked away from Aya, heading for the tail section of the plane.

Aya closed his eyes again. Was Jas what he needed? A man with a cold core to match his own? Jas didn’t share the morbid humor that he and Yohji had always traded with each other. If the bogus Crawford hadn’t turned up at the farm when he did, would Yohji have lost the death wish he had?

So many questions and not one of them with an answer. Aya sighed and tried to sleep.   
*

Aki stared out the small plane window, watching the fluffy clouds outside the window, worried about the future. Mostly he worried about Kei. Since the... incident Kei had... changed. All of DSS had to notice. Aki had.

The Kei he knew would never have sex with anyone, much less Tsuki.

Oh Tsuki was all right. Aki didn’t resent the fact Tsuki had finally gained what he wanted. What bothered Aki, really bothered him was the fact Kei had taken him to bed.

And no one had see Kei cry over Hisato.

They’d been so close. As close as brothers could become.

And Kei hadn’t shown any expression of grief since Hisato’s death.

Not that they’d seen, anyway.

Aki knew Kei had to be hurting. He had to be.

If Kei would just cry, or let it out somehow maybe he would be all right.

But he hadn’t, instead he’d become harder on them all, more demanding, more insistent on perfection.

It wasn’t good. Not for them. Not for Kei.

There was only so much any of them could take, and that included Kei. The strain had begun to show. He wasn’t sleeping much, hadn’t eaten in Aki wasn’t sure how long.

His unhappy musings were interrupted by a warm hand closing over his. Issei smiled at him but the expression was forced. He leaned forward so what he had to say wouldn’t be overheard by anyone else. “You’re worrying about Kei falling apart and I’m worrying about you and Yohji falling apart. This really doesn’t seem like a victory, does it?”

He gave Aki’s hand a gentle squeeze. “I think the only ones holding it together are Aya, Schuldig, Kate and Ken. Omi’s like a cat on hot bricks, Tsuki’s worrying about Kei and Crawford is comatose. And who knows what Jas is thinking or feeling?”

Aki squeezed Issei’s hand and leaned closer so that he could rest his head on Issei’s shoulder. “Jas... has always been odd, even by our standards. He’s so wrapped up in talking to his sister’s ghost, in killing and death, he’s not quite among the living.” He sighed. “Schuldig has Crawford back so he’s happy, Ken is out of the killing end of this game which has eased his mind, Kate’s the most level-headed of our group and serves as our unofficial ‘mom’ figure. She’s always helped hold the rest of us together. Aya... I’m still not sure about him. I know there’s some kind of mess happening between him and Yohji but I’ve been a little out of it myself over what happened.” He took a deep breath. “But Hisato says I wasn’t to blame, and that’s good.”

He suddenly sat up and looked at Issei. His voice lowered to the barest whisper of sound as he spoke. “Oh, I guess you don’t know, but I can see Jas’s sister Iona, and I saw Hisato too. I...umm...never told anyone but Kei about being able to see ghosts.”

Issei smiled at him, a real smile this time. “I wasn’t sure if you were going crazy when you saw Hisato back at the farm, but I’m glad he’s been able to put your mind at rest.”

He hesitated. “I didn’t see spirits at that damned castle, but I did feel them there. So much pain and suffering even after death…” he trailed off. “Was Hisato happy?”

“I had to keep my power locked down at the castle. There were so many ghosts there, and they were all trapped in their horrible ends. It’s hard to believe a building so outwardly beautiful could hold so many terrible secrets, like those awful abominations, or so many angry and unhappy spirits.” He gave Issei a little smile. “The ghosts are all free now that the castle is gone. The chains of horror and pain that held them to this world have been broken.”

Issei took a deep breath and squeezed Aki’s hand again. “I’m so glad of that, Aki. Thank you for telling me. It was bothering me.”

He sat back in his seat but kept hold of Aki’s hand.

Aki relaxed and closed his eyes. He still worried about Kei, but there wasn’t anything he could do about that right now. He sighed again. There wasn’t really anything he could do about it period. Kei would never listen to him. No, it would take someone of far greater courage to enter the den of that lion and confront him.

He rested his head against Issei’s shoulder and quickly fell asleep.

*

Omi fidgeted in his seat. He should be happy the mission had gone so well but he couldn’t help thinking about the cost to them all. Yohji was an even bigger mess than usual, Kei seemed to be holding it together but Omi had seen that look too many times on Aya’s face to know their leader was falling apart at the seams. Aya was a silent presence on the other side of the aisle, apparently asleep, but again Omi knew him too well to be fooled. 

Retrieving Crawford and closing that particular research facility had come at too great a cost to his new family. 

Well, there was one bright spot. 

Ken would never have to kill again.

His lover and best friend in the whole world would no longer be driven mad by the bloodlust warring with his sense of justice and conscience.  
His lover dropped into the seat beside him, a pair of drinks in his hand. He held out a container of fruit punch to Omi. “This plane is equipped better than our old safehouses ever were,” he remarked as he pulled the plastic tab on the container of orange juice and then took a swig. “No sports drinks though but a good selection of juice and a lot of instant soups and sandwich stuff along with some canned meals.”

Omi smiled as he took the drink. “Honestly, Ken-kun, all you ever think about is your stomach!”

“There’s an explanation for that, apparently. You ever watch Farfarello eat? Like he’s a wolf in the middle of winter that just managed to bring down a deer? He’s a biokinetic too. Apparently biokinetics all have fast metabolisms and when we actively use our power, in Farfarello’s case it’s when he has to heal himself, in mine it’s when I help someone else, and that fast metabolism becomes a caloric blast furnace. Burns up a ton of calories in short order.”

He smiled at Omi. “I did some work on Brad about an hour ago. After that I had to eat four sandwiches a can of chili and some instant noodles before I didn’t feel hungry anymore.” He chuckled. “Farfarello sat there watching me the whole time, then he explained this to me, and walked away laughing and saying something about the two of us eating DSS out of house and home.” He shook his head. “I figure Farfarello and I just balance things out since Jas and Kei never seem to eat anything at all.”

Omi listened to the explanation then frowned and lowered his voice. “Kei used to eat, apparently. I’m worried about him, Ken-kun. And Yohji seems to be ready to fall apart again. Aya, I’m not sure, but I think something’s bothering him, too. They were all so happy and bright when we first met them, but now…”

“Some of Yohji’s problem is guilt over becoming part of Schwarz without telling us. At least that’s part of what I think has his guts in a twist.” Ken suddenly frowned. “You know, despite all the drinking Yohji always did, he never gained an ounce of weight. Doesn’t alcohol have a lot of calories?”

Omi nodded. “Beer does, spirits not so much. I think that weird power of his does the same as yours does, burns calories.”

He fidgeted a bit more. “I wish I had some sort of power. I feel so useless. Sure, I can hack, but both Tsuki and Nagi are better at it than I am.”

“Makes me wonder if that power of his is some offshoot of biokinesis. I mean he sort of drains the life out of people.” Ken frowned. “I wonder if there’s more to that power than we’ve been told. Of all of us, Yohji’s the best at lying.”

Omi nodded again. “I know he is. He always was. You know, Ken-kun, I never thought I’d ever say this, but the sooner Crawford is up and about, the better. If anyone can sort this mess out, it’s him.”

Ken snorted. “Crawford. He’s just going to cause more trouble, Omi. You have to know that. He’s not going to take a back seat to Kei. No damn way.”

Omi sucked at his drink and said nothing. Ken might be right about Crawford causing more trouble, but something was telling Omi it would be all right.

*

Farfarello leaned over the back of Nagi’s seat, peering with his one good eye at the screen of Nagi’s laptop. “You’re sure about the location of this other Rosenkreuz stronghold? I mean it looks like a normal office building to me, but what do I know?” He chuckled. “I’m just the team lunatic, right?”

Nagi sighed. “You’re not a lunatic and you know it. The office building is a front. It’s all the facilities underground that are important. ” He changed the screen on the laptop. “Then there’s the school… Farf, we need to rescue those kids.”

Farfarello sighed. “Nagi, some of those kids will be too damaged to ever integrate into normal society. There might be hope for the younger ones, but the majority of those kids, especially any of them who’ve been ‘training’ with Rosenkreuz for more than a couple of years, will be so brainwashed they won’t ever interact normally with regular people. Look at me, or Schuldig. Being around regular human beings is too much for us. Schuldig because he can hear their thoughts, me because I want to kill them. I fight that urge, but some days it’s nearly impossible. You remember Brad sticking me in that straight jacket and dosing me with the drugs he kept for my bad days.”

He frowned. “You know, it’s funny, but I haven’t had the urge to go on a rampage lately. Guess we’ve been too busy killing members of Esset and Rosen for the bloodlust to build up.”

Nagi shrugged. “Or being on the right medication might be helping. I agree we can’t really help the kids of middle or high school age, but we could save the grade school kids.”

“Maybe. Keep in mind some of those kids came out of the eugenics program. They’ll be the dogs of Esset from birth.” He hopped over the back of the adjoining seat and dropped into it. “They had me for eight years before they let Brad take me.” He put an arm around Nagi and gave him a gentle hug, something only Schwarz had seen him do until recently. “I’m glad Brad never let them come near you.”

Nagi shuddered under his arm. “You and me both, Farf. I’ve heard enough about the place from the three of you to be thankful I never went there. But those very memories you have make me want to save those I can.”

He studied the new screen. Blueprints of the very school they were discussing. Then he sighed and returned to the office building screen. “I think I’ve collected all the information I can via computer, although Tsuki might have more.”

“You two should work with Omi more. He’s starting to believe he’s useless to the team because you are both better at hacking than he is, and he doesn’t have a power like most of us do.” He leaned in closer to Nagi, whispered directly into his ear. “Kei isn’t a normal. Brad says he has a power too but he won’t say what it is.”

Nagi shrugged and shut the laptop before leaning against Farfarello. “He can teleport short distances. He showed us that.”

He stopped speaking and stared at Farfarello. “If he can teleport, chances are he has telekinetic powers too. That came before the teleportation for me.”

Farfarello grinned. “That would explain a lot, wouldn’t it?”

He withdrew the arm he had around Nagi and got to his feet. “I’m going to go check on Brad and Schu. Ken worked on Brad some, but there’s not much he can do about the muscle loss, though he did manage to clean some of the drugs out of Brad’s system.” He stood then frowned again. “On second thought I’m not going to bother Brad and Schu. They need time alone. Well as much alone as they can be in such close quarters on a plane. Do you want something to eat? I’m pretty hungry and we should grab something before Ken finishes everything in the kitchen off.”

Nagi grinned. “Yeah, I’ll have a sandwich and a drink. Anything will do.”

“I’ll be back in a few minutes.”

He headed for the small kitchen in the middle of the plane, leaving Nagi with his thoughts.

*

Tsuki closed his laptop and sighed. The office block, and what was underneath it were going to be even harder to hit than the schloss had been, and that had not been without scars. 

Well he had all the blueprints now, but was too tired to compare notes with Nagi as yet. They would need to wait till Crawford was fully recovered anyway, so he might as well grab a drink and get some rest.

There was no point in trying to talk to Kei. He was mourning Hisato, though he refused to show it, and was not talking to anyone. Tsuki had enough sense of self-preservation to stay well away when his lover was in this mood. He’d learned that the hard way.

He made his way to the little galley and grabbed a can of lemonade. He didn’t want anything stronger, despite the well-stocked bar. Drinking alcohol would only serve to make him maudlin and things were bad enough already.

He returned to his seat, opened the can and took a long swallow while wishing this interminable journey would come to an end. All of them were pensive and none of them good company right now. That included him. 

He was usually happy-go-lucky about everything, but Kei’s brooding was beginning to wear on him and there was nothing he could do about it.

The best thing he could do was try to sleep until they arrived. He envied Jas at this moment. At least he had something to do. With a sigh he reopened the laptop and went over the blueprints once again.

Nothing sprang out at him, nothing he’d missed except liaising with Nagi who was checking all the building records from before the office block was built.

He took another swig of lemonade and opened up a game of solitaire. 

A crash and some choice nastiness delivered in rapid-fire English told him that Jas wasn’t exactly where Tsuki had believed him to be: piloting the small jet.

Tsuki turned in his seat to see Jas picking up shards of glass and ice off the floor. He guessed the plane must be on auto-pilot but it was unlike Jas to be so clumsy. He took his courage in both hands. “Need any help?”

Grey eyes, emotionless as stone, regarded him from where Jas crouched. Instead of answering he finished picking up the glass and set the pieces down on the counter, then dropped the ice into the small sink.

To his surprise, Jas finally spoke, though the man’s voice was as emotionless as his gaze. “Did Kei eat anything while we were in France or since we boarded the plane?”

Tsuki sighed and shook his head. As far as he knew, Kei hadn’t touched a thing except alcohol since they’d started the mission. “No.”

Jas opened the small cabinet under the sink and tossed the broken glass into the waste container, then closed the cabinet door.

“It’s Hisato. Losing him has...” Jas shook his head. “I’m probably the only one who really understands how it hurts. Iona died but she’s still with me. Hisato is...gone.”

He opened the small refrigerator, took out meat and mayo, got the bread out of the overhead cabinet and threw a sandwich together, putting it on a plastic plate. Jas removed a bottle of lemon soda and held both things out to Tsuki.

“Take this to Kei. Put it down beside him but don’t say a word.”

Tsuki stood up and took the offerings from Jas. He went down the aisle till he reached Kei’s seat and placed the plate and bottle down next to Kei. Then he retreated without saying a word and resumed his seat. He watched to see if Kei would do anything.

For a few minutes it appeared that Kei would do nothing, not react to the food and drink Tsuki had left, then Kei’s eyelids rose and he and regarded the offerings. He finally picked up the lemon soda, opened the bottle, took a sip, sat holding it, staring as if unaware of his surroundings or anything outside his own mind. He finally took another drink of the soda, replaced the cap, held it between his thighs while he stared blankly at the sandwich and then finally picked it up, took a bite and, gaze still focused on something only he could see, he slowly chewed the food.  
Tsuki heaved a sigh of relief and sat back in the seat. Tension, he hadn’t been consciously aware of, drained out of his body and left him tired but less dispirited than before. He thought he might even be able to sleep now. He turned in his seat again and mouthed a thank you to Jas, before settling back and closing his eyes.

Jas put the meat and bread away and searched through the small fridge for some fruit. He located an apple and a plum and took both of them wondering who had raided the fruit because there had been a lot more in the drawer when they’d taken off.

Probably Ken. The man was a pit with no bottom. A black hole into which large amounts of food vanished.

He sighed, got another glass out, and filled it with ice. He needed a drink, something a lot stronger than soda or juice.

A slight sound behind him then Aya was there. He eyed the glass but said nothing, instead helping himself to some orange juice.

Jas started to go past Aya, intending to get some whiskey from the bar. He stopped, glanced at Aya. “Has Kudoh been drinking?”

Aya shrugged. “I have no idea but what if he has? He’s not piloting a plane, is he?”

Jas’ gaze went hard, cold. “It’s three hours until we land. And I’m not likely to get staggering drunk, unlike Kudoh.” He shoved past Aya, knocking him off balance.

Aya righted himself and gazed stonily at his lover. “He had a short conversation with me about half an hour ago and seemed perfectly sober if somewhat depressed.” He turned away and headed back towards his seat.

“Don’t you walk away from me, Aya!” Jas snarled. He tossed the fruit and glass down onto the counter and stalked after the other assassin. He caught up with Aya and grabbed him by the arm, then he yanked Aya around to face him.

Aya frowned. “What the fuck is your problem, Jas? Why are you picking a fight with me?”

Instead of answering, Jas punched Aya in the stomach putting all his strength behind the blow. He was angry. Pissed off about Kudoh and the way he’d kissed Aya. The way Aya hadn’t resisted that kiss.

The instant his fist landed he regretted what he’d done. Taking his anger out on Aya wasn’t a solution. Wouldn’t make Kudoh go away.

Wouldn’t erase the memory of seeing the blond drunk kissing Aya the way a lover kissed, with passionate intensity.

“Aya...I...” Before Jas could get the apology out, a hand closed on his shoulder, spun him around. He caught a glimpse of furious green eyes, the angry twist of a sensual mouth and then a fist impacted with his jaw and sent him to the floor with bright white comets filling his gaze.

Aya straightened up with some difficulty, one hand to his stomach. “Yohji, don’t,” he managed to gasp out while trying hard not to throw up the little food in his belly.

Yohji spread his hands. “I’m standing right here, if you’ve got the damn nerve to try me.”

“What in the HOLY FUCK is going on!” Kei snapped as he came up the aisle, his dark eyes full of barely contained fury. “Don’t we have ENOUGH SHIT to deal with already without the two of you assholes constantly fighting one another!”

His gaze turned to Aya, who still held his gut.

“Explain this, Abysinnian!”

Aya sighed. “I called Jas on drinking whilst flying a plane so he wanted to pick a fight with me and hit me. Yohji came to my defence even though he wasn’t asked to do any such thing. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I’d like to sit down.”

Kei turned his anger on Jas. “So you started this little shit parade?”

Jas averted his eyes from Kei, but he nodded.

“Go to the front of the plane. Get in the pilot’s chair and don’t leave until we land. Once we are on the ground I’ll expect to see you in my office at the house where we will have a serious talk about your unacceptable behavior.”

Jas nodded and started for the cockpit.

“Jas!”

The blond turned around, eyes on Kei, expression contrite.

“Apologize.”

Jas bowed. “I am sorry Kei.”

Kei gave an exasperated sigh. “To Aya, not me!”

Jas turned to regard Aya, then he bowed. “Please forgive me, Aya.”

Aya gazed at his lover for a moment, his eyes a cold lavender, then he relented. “You’re forgiven. We’ll talk later.”

He brushed past Kei and Yohji and sat down.

Jas turned an unpleasant look on Yohji, one that seemed to promise future violence, before he turned to head for the front of the plane.  
“Jas, I swear to GOD, if you don’t leave Kudoh alone I’m going to make sure you never bother him, or anyone else ever again. Are we clear on this?”

Jas dropped to his knees and bowed his head until his forehead touched the carpet. “Hai, Kei-sama!” Jas replied in Japanese.

“Good. Now go fly the fucking plane.”

Jas bounded to his feet and hurried up the aisle to the cockpit. He shut the door behind himself.

Kei turned to regard Yohji. “If those two get into another fight, keep out of it. Understood.”

Yohji regarded Kei coolly for a moment. “I’ll consider it. But I may step in if I think that asshole is going to hurt Aya.” He motioned to where Aya sat, still somewhat grey around the gills. “No one who hits a friend of mine like that, unprovoked, is going to walk away unscathed. That goes for Weiss and Schwarz as well as Kate.”

Kei frowned. Sighed. “Kudoh, I’ll handle Jas. I don’t know exactly what’s got up his ass, but I plan to lay some rules down for him that he’s not going to like.” He glanced at Aya. “Neither of them are going to like what I have to say.”

He turned, swayed slightly on his feet. Yohji caught Kei, steadying him until he had his balance. Kei looked at the taller man for a brief moment, and some unfathomable emotion flickered in his eyes for just a second. A tiny smile quirked his mouth and he nodded, though what it might be about was beyond Aya.

Then he pulled away from Yohji, murmured a soft thanks, and headed for the back of the plane.

Yohji’s head tipped to one side as he regarded the retreating leader of DSS, then he shrugged and took a seat across the aisle from Aya, leaned back and closed his eyes.

Kate had watched the whole mess from further back in the plane. She knew Yohji had strong feelings for Aya and she could understand why. She also overheard Yohji tell Aya that he would push her away as his track record got women killed. Well, she was strong and wasn’t ready to die yet. Nor was she prepared to give up on Yohji.

Just you try getting rid of me, Yohji Kudou.

It would be a different matter if she thought he didn’t care about her, but she knew he did. She could wish he didn’t love Aya more than her, but in this life one took what one could get.

When the drama was over and Kei had spoken his mind to all involved she sat back and closed her eyes. A sudden fantasy scenario played out in her mind and she gasped at the intensity of it.

She was in a large, comfortable bed with both Yohji and Aya and, unlike with Schuldig, she had no objections at all to being the meat in the sandwich, touched by both men. She was happy and fulfilled and encouraged them to touch each other as well as her.

She opened her eyes with a gasp. Where the hell had that come from? It was a lovely fantasy, but that was all it was.

A fantasy.

Not real.

Not going to happen.

Aya had Jas and Yohji was talking about pushing her away so why was her mind playing such stupid tricks on her?

She sighed and sat upright, wondering if she should get a drink and something to eat. Anything to keep her mind from wandering down such erotic alleyways.

She decided she didn’t need anything from the galley and thought about the future instead. Next on the hit list was Rosenkruez’ administrative headquarters, where, hopefully, they would take out the organisation’s top brass and leave it like a headless chicken.

She wondered what Kei intended to do about the school, but decided to concentrate on one mission at a time.

Of course, there was the added worry of Crawford. Would the man be help or hindrance? If he was anything like the clone, the answer was hindrance. But, if he hated Rosenkruez as much as they did, he might be of use. Might have information they could use.

Her eyes widened. Might be able to replace Hisato as second and sounding board. Kei needed someone who could do that, but she knew none of them apart from Crawford could fill that role.

Jas was too unstable, she had enough on her plate holding them together emotionally which left Aya. He was a possibility but seemed happy to have relinquished his leadership role. That only left Crawford.

She closed her eyes again, hoping against hope, Crawford wanted the job without wanting to take over.


End file.
